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Summary of Jurisdiction of Philippine Courts
Summary of Jurisdiction of Philippine Courts
Cases involving the legality of any tax, impost, assessment, or toll, or any penalty
imposed thereto;
Cases involving the jurisdiction of lower courts;
All criminal cases in which the penalty imposed is reclusion perpetua or higher;
EXCEPT those which fall within the appellate jurisdiction of the SC, namely:
a. COMELEC;
b. Commission on Audit;
c. Sandiganbayan.
I. EXCLUSIVE ORIGINAL
A. CIVIL CASES
All actions in admiralty and maritime jurisdiction where the demand or claim
exceeds P200,000/P400,000;
Probate proceedings, both testate and intestate, where the gross value of the
estate P200,000/P400,000;
In all cases not within the exclusive jurisdiction of any court, tribunal, person or
body exercising jurisdiction;
In all civil actions and special proceedings falling within the exclusive original
jurisdiction of a Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court and of the Court of Agrarian
Relations as now provided by law; and
All criminal cases not within the exclusive jurisdiction of any court, tribunal, or
body EXCEPT those within the jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan.
N.B. RTC has jurisdiction over criminal cases where the penalty imposable:
II. ORIGINAL
All cases decided by the lower courts (MTCs) in their respective territorial
jurisdictions.
NOTE: no trial de novo; case is decided on the basis of decision and supporting
affidavits.
Family Courts shall have exclusive original jurisdiction to hear and decide the
following cases:
Criminal cases where:
One or more of the accused is below eighteen (18) years of age but not less than nine
(9) years of age, OR
One or more of the victims is a minor at the time of the commission of the offense.
Provided, That if the minor is found guilty, the court shall promulgate sentence and
ascertain any civil liability which the accused may have incurred. The sentence,
however, shall be suspended without need of application pursuant to the "Child and
Youth Welfare Code";
Petitions for guardianship, custody of children, habeas corpus in relation to the latter;
Complaints [for]:
Annulment of marriage
Declaration of nullity of marriage
Those relating to marital status and property relations of:
Husband and wife OR
Those living together under different status and agreements, AND
Petitions for dissolution of conjugal partnership of gains;
Summary judicial proceedings brought under the provisions of the "Family Code of the
Philippines";
Petitions for:
Declaration of status of children as
Abandoned
Dependent OR
Neglected children
Voluntary or involuntary commitment of children;
The suspension, termination, or restoration of parental authority and other cases
cognizable under "Child and Youth Welfare Code", Executive Order No. 56, (Series of
1986), and other related laws;
Cases against minors cognizable under the Dangerous Drugs Act, as amended;
Violations of Republic Act No. 7610, otherwise known as the "Special Protection of
Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act," as amended by
Republic Act No. 7658; and
Children
Includes the commission of all forms of abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation, violence,
and discrimination and all other conditions prejudicial to their development.
If any question involving any of the above matters should arise as an incident in any
case pending in the regular courts, said incident shall be determined in that court.
Decisions and orders of the court shall be appealed in the same manner and subject to
the same conditions as appeals from the ordinary Regional Trial Courts.
A. EXCLUSIVE ORIGINAL
1. CIVIL CASES
Civil actions and probate proceedings, testate and intestate, including the grant of
provisional remedies where the demand, exclusive of interest, damages, attorney’s fees
and costs, does not exceed P100,000/200,000.
Exclusive original jurisdiction over cases of forcible entry and unlawful detainer; issue of
ownership resolved only to determine issue of possession.
After lapse of 1 year, MTC loses jurisdiction, and case becomes one for recovery of
possession de jure (accion publicicana), although MTC may still have jurisdiction if value
of property does not exceed P20,000/50,000.
Actions involving title or possession of real property where the assessed value does not
exceed P20,000/50,000.
2. CRIMINAL CASES
* All offenses punishable with not more than 4 years 2 mos 1 day
imprisonment, irrespective of fine.
3. ELECTION CASES
Summary Procedure
Cases Applicable
A. CIVIL CASES
B. CRIMINAL CASES
*All other criminal cases where the penalty does not exceed 6 months or a fine of P1000
or both, irrespective of other imposable penalties or of the amount of civil liability
*Damage to property through criminal negligence where the fine does not exceed
P10,000.
* Memoranda
* Reply
* Third-party complaints
* Claims involving refund and any other claims filed by subdivision lot or
condominium unit buyer against the project owner, developer, dealer, broker, or
salesman
1. No complaint, petition, action or proceeding involving any matter within the authority of
the lupon shall be filed or instituted directly in court or any other government office for
adjudication, unless:
There has been a confrontation between the parties before the lupon chairman or
pangkat, AND
HOWEVER, the court in which non-criminal cases not falling within the authority of the
Lupon may, at any time before trial, refer the case to the lupon for amicable settlement.
Where one party is a public officer or employee, and the dispute relates to the
performance of his official functions;
Where the dispute involves real properties located in different cities and
municipalities, unless the parties thereto agree to submit their difference to amicable
settlement by an appropriate Lupon;
Disputes where urgent legal action is necessary to prevent injustice from being
committed or further continued, specifically the following:
* Petitions for habeas corpus by a person illegally deprived of his rightful custody over
another or a person illegally deprived of his liberty or one acting in his behalf;
Any class of disputes which the President may determine in the interest of
justice or upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Justice;
Where the dispute arises from the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law
(CARL) (Sections. 46 & 47, R.A. 6657);
* VENUE OF PROCEEDINGS:
Situation Venue
Parties reside in same barangay That barangay
Parties reside in different barangays Barangay where respondent, or any of the
respondents, actually resides, at the option
of the complainant
Disputes involving real property or interest Barangay where property is situated
therein
Disputes arising at the workplace where Barangay where such workplace or
the contending parties are employed, or at institution is located
the institution where such parties are
enrolled for study
Objections to venue shall be raised in the mediation proceedings before the punong
barangay; otherwise, they are deemed waived. Legal questions that might arise in
resolving such objections before the punong barangay are to be submitted to the
Secretary of the DOJ, whose ruling shall be binding.
5. EFFECT OF NON-COMPLIANCE:
* Complainant pays appropriate filing fees, and shall complain, orally or in writing,
to the lupon chairman of the barangay;
* Pangkat shall have power to issue summons, and shall hear both parties and
their witnesses, and attempt to arrive at an amicable settlement. Within 15 days from
the day it convenes, it shall arrive at said settlement or resolution of the dispute.
During the 15-day period when the dispute is under mediation, the prescriptive periods
for offenses, and for causes of action shall be interrupted upon filing of the complaint
with the punong barangay. Said interruption shall not exceed 60 days from said filing.
In all proceedings, parties must appear in person without the assistance of counsel or
representatives, EXCEPT for minors and incompetents who may be assisted by their
next-of-kin who are not lawyers.
7. Amicable settlement shall have the force and effect of a final judgment upon the
expiration of 10 days from date of amicable settlement, unless:
a. It is repudiated, or
Such repudiation is a sufficient basis for the issuance of a certification for filing a
complaint with the court.
b. A petition to nullify the settlement is filed in the proper city or municipal court
The settlement agreed upon does not have the force and effect of a final judgment when
the dispute is not within jurisdiction of the lupon but submitted to it. In this case, the
compromise agreed upon by the parties before the lupon/pangkat chair shall be
submitted to the court and upon approval thereof, shall have the force and effect of a
judgment of said court.
There was no personal confrontation without any fault on the part of the
complainant.
A. ORIGINAL
Violations of:
“Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act”;
R.A. 1379 (“An Act Declaring Forfeiture in Favor of the State of Any Property
Found to Have Been Unlawfully Acquired By Any Public Officer or Employee and
Providing for the Proceedings Therefor”); or
Title VII, Chapter II, § 2 of the RPC (i.e., Articles 210-212 of RPC)
Where one or more of the accused are officials occupying the following
positions in the government, whether in a permanent, acting or interim capacity,
at the time of the commission of the offense:
* Officials of the diplomatic service occupying the position of consul and higher;
* Philippine army and air force colonels, naval captains, and all officers of higher rank;
* Officers of the Philippine National Police while occupying the position of provincial
director and those holding the rank of senior superintendent or higher;
* City and provincial prosecutors and their assistants, and officials and prosecutors in the
Office of the Ombudsman and special prosecutor;
Petitions for the issuance of the writs of mandamus, prohibition, certiorari, habeas
corpus, injunctions and other ancillary writs and processes in aid of its appellate
jurisdiction: provided, that the jurisdiction over these petitions shall not be exclusive of
the Supreme Court and over petitions of similar nature, including quo warranto, arising
or that may arise in cases failed or which may be filed under Executive Order Nos. 1, 2,
14 and 14-A (concurrent with SC)
If the last element, namely, “in relation to his office” is absent or is not alleged in
the information, the crime committed falls within the exclusive original jurisdiction
of ordinary courts and not the SB.
The offense is committed in relation to the office if the offense is intimately connected
with the office of the offender and perpetuated while he was in the performance of his
official functions, or when the crime cannot exist without the office, or the office is a
constituent element of the crime as defined in the statute.
B. EXCLUSIVE APPELLATE
If none of the principal accused are occupying positions of grade 27 or higher, original
jurisdiction will be with either the MTC or RTC; SB will exercise exclusive appellate
jurisdiction on said cases.
The procedure prescribed in BP Blg. 129, as well as the implementing rules that the
Supreme Court has promulgated and may hereafter promulgate, relative to
appeals/petitions for review to the Court of Appeals shall apply to appeals and petitions
for review filed with the Sandiganbayan.
C. NOTES:
* Private individuals charged as co-principals, accomplices or accessories with
the public officers or employees, including those employed in GOCCs, shall be tried
jointly with said public officers and employees in the proper courts which shall exercise
exclusive jurisdiction over them.
RTCs are devoid of any competence to pass upon the validity or regularity of seizure
and forfeiture proceedings conducted by the Bureau of Customs and to enjoin or
otherwise interfere with these proceedings. The Collector of Customs sitting in seizure
and forfeiture proceedings has exclusive jurisdiction to hear and determine all questions
touching on the seizure and forfeiture of dutiable goods. The Regional Trial Courts are
precluded from assuming cognizance over such matters even through petitions of
certiorari, prohibition or mandamus. The proper remedy is to appeal to the
Commissioner of Customs and thereafter to the Court of Tax Appeals.