NAME: JESSI II F.

HERMOSURA SECTION: BSC-1D

SCHEDULE: M-W-F (10:00 - 11:00 AM) DATE: 04/12/2023

ACTIVITY #1

SUPREME COURT

THE SUPREME COURT OF THE PHILIPPINES IS THE HIGHEST JUDICIAL BODY IN THE COUNTRY,
RESPONSIBLE FOR UPHOLDING THE CONSTITUTION AND ENSURING THE EQUAL PROTECTION OF
RIGHTS AND THE RULE OF LAW. ITS MAIN FUNCTION IS TO INTERPRET THE LAW AND SETTLE
LEGAL DISPUTES, INCLUDING CASES INVOLVING CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES, CRIMINAL OFFENSES,
CIVIL DISPUTES, AND ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS. THE COURT HAS THE POWER OF JUDICIAL
REVIEW, ALLOWING IT TO DECLARE LAWS, EXECUTIVE ORDERS, AND OTHER GOVERNMENT
ACTIONS UNCONSTITUTIONAL. THE SUPREME COURT ALSO HAS THE AUTHORITY TO
PROMULGATE RULES OF PROCEDURE AND ADMINISTER THE ADMISSION TO THE LEGAL
PROFESSION. AS A CRUCIAL COMPONENT OF THE COUNTRY'S JUSTICE SYSTEM, THE SUPREME
COURT PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE IN MAINTAINING THE INTEGRITY OF THE LEGAL SYSTEM AND
PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF FILIPINO CITIZENS.

COURT OF APPEALS

THE COURT OF APPEALS IN THE PHILIPPINES SERVES AS THE INTERMEDIATE APPELLATE

COURT BETWEEN THE TRIAL COURTS AND THE SUPREME COURT. ITS MAIN FUNCTION IS TO
REVIEW AND EXAMINE DECISIONS AND RULINGS MADE BY LOWER COURTS TO ENSURE THAT
THEY WERE MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW AND LEGAL PROCEDURES. THE COURT OF
APPEALS ALSO HAS THE POWER TO HEAR AND DECIDE ON ORIGINAL CASES THAT FALL UNDER
ITS JURISDICTION. IN ADDITION, IT HAS THE AUTHORITY TO ISSUE WRITS OF HABEAS CORPUS,
MANDAMUS, CERTIORARI, PROHIBITION, AND INJUNCTION. ITS DECISIONS MAY BE APPEALED TO
THE SUPREME COURT. OVERALL, THE COURT OF APPEALS PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE IN
UPHOLDING JUSTICE AND ENSURING THAT THE LEGAL SYSTEM IS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY.
 REGIONAL TRIAL COURTS

THE REGIONAL TRIAL COURTS (RTC) IN THE PHILIPPINES ARE THE HIGHEST TRIAL COURTS IN
THE COUNTRY'S JUDICIAL SYSTEM. THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR HEARING AND DECIDING CIVIL
AND CRIMINAL CASES THAT INVOLVE HIGHER AMOUNTS OF DAMAGES, OFFENSES PUNISHABLE
BY IMPRISONMENT FOR MORE THAN SIX YEARS, AND OTHER CASES THAT ARE BEYOND THE
JURISDICTION OF LOWER COURTS. RTC JUDGES ARE ALSO AUTHORIZED TO ISSUE SEARCH AND
ARREST WARRANTS, AS WELL AS CONDUCT HEARINGS AND TRIALS FOR CASES UNDER THEIR
JURISDICTION. THE RTC PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE IN THE PHILIPPINE LEGAL SYSTEM, AS IT
ENSURES THAT JUSTICE IS SERVED AND THAT THE RULE OF LAW IS UPHELD IN THE COUNTRY.

METROPOLITAN TRIAL COURTS

THE METROPOLITAN TRIAL COURTS, ALSO KNOWN AS MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURTS, ARE LOWER
COURTS IN THE PHILIPPINES WITH JURISDICTION OVER CRIMINAL AND CIVIL CASES WITHIN THEIR
RESPECTIVE CITIES OR MUNICIPALITIES. THEIR FUNCTION IS TO HEAR AND DECIDE CASES THAT
FALL WITHIN THEIR JURISDICTION, SUCH AS MINOR CRIMINAL OFFENSES AND CIVIL DISPUTES
INVOLVING SMALL AMOUNTS OF MONEY. THEY ALSO SERVE AS A VENUE FOR ALTERNATIVE
DISPUTE RESOLUTION METHODS LIKE MEDIATION AND CONCILIATION. THE METROPOLITAN TRIAL
COURTS PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE COUNTRY'S JUSTICE SYSTEM BY PROVIDING ACCESS
TO JUSTICE FOR ORDINARY CITIZENS AND HELPING TO DECONGEST THE CASELOAD OF HIGHER
COURTS.
 MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURT IN CITIES

THE MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURTS IN CITIES FUNCTIONS TOWARDS A GOOD SERVICE FOR
PROVIDING PEACE AND JUSTICE. IT FUNCTIONS WITH EXCLUSIVE ORIGINAL JURISDICTION OVER
CIVIL DISPUTES AND PROBATE PROCESSES, BOTH TESTATE AND INTESTATE, INCLUDING THE
GRANTING OF TEMPORARY RELIEF AS NECESSARY. WHEN THE METROPOLITAN TRIAL COURTS
FUNCTIONS INSIDE THE METROPOLITAN MANILA. THE MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURTS FUNCTIONS
OUTSIDE THE METROPOLITAN MANILA WHICH IS NOW REFERRED TO AS THE MUNICIPAL TRIAL
COURTS IN CITIES.

MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURTS

TO RAISE AWARENESS AND WORK FOR THE AMICABLE RESOLUTION OF CIVIL DISPUTES
AND SMALL-SCALE CRIMES THROUGH JUDICIAL DISPUTE RESOLUTION. (JDR).
 MUNICIPAL CIRCUIT TRIAL COURT

THE SUPREME COURT MAY DESIGNATE MUNICIPAL CIRCUIT TRIAL COURTS TO HEAR
AND DECIDE CADASTRAL OR LAND REGISTRATION CASES INVOLVING LOTS WHERE THERE IS NO
CONTROVERSY OR OPPOSITION, OR CONTESTED LOTS WITH VALUES UP TO TWENTY THOUSAND
PESOS, WITH THE VALUE OF EACH LOT TO BE DETERMINED BY THE CLAIMANT'S AFFIDAVIT, THE
CLAIMANTS' AGREEMENT IF THERE ARE MULTIPLE CLAIMANTS, OR FROM THE CORRESPONDING
TAX DECLARATION OF THE REAL ESTATE.

SANDIGANBAYAN

THE GOVERNMENT PERSONNEL AND OFFICIALS SUSPECTED OF BRIBERY, CORRUPTION,

AND OTHER SIMILAR ACTS ARE BROUGHT BEFORE AND TRIED BY THE SANDIGANBAYAN (SB),
WHICH ALSO RENDERS DECISIONS IN BOTH CRIMINAL AND CIVIL PROCEEDINGS.
 SHARI’A DISTRICT COURTS

ALL CASES TRIED IN THE SHARI'A CIRCUIT COURTS WITHIN THEIR TERRITORIAL AUTHORITY
ARE SUBJECT TO APPELLATE JURISDICTION BY THE SHARI'A DISTRICT COURT. EVERY MATTER
WILL BE DECIDED BASED ON THE EVIDENCE AND RECORDS SUBMITTED, AS WELL AS ANY
MEMORANDA, BRIEFS, OR ORAL ARGUMENTS THAT THE PARTIES CHOOSE TO SUBMIT.

SHARI’A CIRCUIT COURTS

THE SUPREME COURT OF THE PHILIPPINES IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERSEEING SHARI'AH

COURTS ADMINISTRATIVELY. ONLY MUSLIM PERSONAL AND CUSTOMARY LAW IS COVERED BY
SHARIAH IN THIS NATION; CRIMINAL LAW IS NOT INCLUDED.