RULE 2: CAUSE OF ACTION

- Parties may not institute more than one suit for a single cause of
action
- Should there be filed 2 or more suits based on the same course of
action, the filing of one or a judgement upon the merits in anyone is
available as a ground for dismissal of the others

- A party in one pleading may assert as many causes of action as he

may have against the opposing party subject to the following
conditions:

a.) A party joining the causes of action shall comply with the rules of
the joinder of parties
b.) If the causes of action are between the same parties but different
venues or jurisdictions, the joinder may be allowed in the RTC,
provided one of the causes of actions falls withing the jurisdiction
of said court
c.) If it is for recover of money, the aggregate amount claimed shall
be the test of jurisdiction

- Misjoinder of causes of action is not a ground for dismissal of an

action. A misjoinder cause of action may be served and proceeded
with separately.

RULE 3: PARTIES TO CIVIL ACTIONS

- Natural or juridical persons, or entries authorized by law
- Parties in interest is the party who stands to be benefited or injured
by the judgement in the suit
- If a representative is allowed to be prosecuted or defended, the
beneficiary shall be included in the title of the case and shall be
deemed a real party in interest. Agents acting in own name and
benefit of undisclosed principal may be sued or sue without joining
the principal except when the contract involves things belonging to
the principal
- Husband and wife shall be sued or sue jointly
- Minor may be sued or sue with assistance of his parents or legal
guardians
- Necessary parties are those not indispensable but ought to be joined
as a party if complete relief is to be accorded as to those already
parties
- If the subject matter of the controversy is common or general interest
to many persons so numerous, it is a class suit
- If a party to a pending action dies, and the claims is not thereby
extinguished, it shall be the duty of the counsel to inform the court
30 days after such death of fact. The heirs of the deceased may be
allowed to be substituted for the deceased.
RULE 4: VENUE OF ACTIONS
- Actions affecting title to or possession of real property, or interest
therein shall be commenced and tried in the proper court which has
jurisdiction over the area where the real property involved is situated
- All other actions may be commenced and tried where the plaintiff or
defendant resides
- If any one of the defendants does not reside and is not found in the
Philippines, and the action affects the personal status of the plaintiff,
or any property of said defendant located in the Philippines, the
action may be commenced and tried in the court of the place where
the defendant resides or where the property is situated or found.
- These rules shall not apply if the parties have validly agreed upon in
writing before the filing of the action on the exclusive venue thereof,
or in those cases where a specific rule or law provides otherwise.
RULE 6: KINDS OF PLEADINGS
- Defenses may either be negative or affirmative

a.) NEGATIVE DEFENSE – a specific denial of the material fact or

facts alleged in the pleading of the claimant essential to his cause
of action
b.) AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE – an allegation of, a new matter which,
while hypothetically admitting the material allegations in the
pleading of the claimant, would nevertheless prevent or bar
recovery by him or her. The affirmative defenses include fraud,
statute of limitations, release, payment, illegality, statute of
frauds, estoppel, former recover, discharge in bankruptcy, and
any other matter by way of confession and avoidance
- A COMPULSORY COUNTERCLAIM is one which, being cognizable
by the regular courts of justice, arises out of or is connected with the
transaction or occurrence constituting the subject matter of the
opposing party’s claim and does not require for its adjudication the
presence of third parties of whom the court cannot acquire
jurisdiction.
- A CROSS CLAIM is any claim by one party against a co-party
arising out of the transaction or occurrence that is the subject matter
either of the original action or of a counterclaim therein.
- A REPLY is new matters alleged in the answer deemed
controverted. If the plaintiff wishes to interpose any claims arising
out of the new matters so alleged, such claims shall be set forth in
an amended or supplemental complain. However, the plaintiff may
file a reply only if the defending party attaches an actionable
document to their answer. In the event of an actionable document is
attached to the reply, the defendant may file a rejoinder if the same
is based solely on an actionable document.
- A THIRD-PARTY COMPLAINT is a claim that a defending party
may, with leave of court, file against a person not a party to the
action, called the third-party defendants for contribution, indemnity,
subrogation, or any other relief, in respect of his opponent’s claim. A
third-party complaint shall be denied admission, and the court shall
require the defendant to institute a separate action when the third-
party defendant cannot be located within 30 calendar days from the
grant of such leave.
RULE 7: PARTS AND CONTENTS OF PLEADING
- Every pleading and other written submissions to the court must be
signed by the party or counsel representing him or her. The
signature of counsel constitutes a certificated by him or her that he
has read the pleading and document.
- Except when otherwise specifically required by law or rule,
pleadings need not be under oath or verified. A pleading is verified
by an affidavit of an affiant duly authorized to sign said verification.
The authorization of the affiant to act on behalf of a party should be
attached to the pleading.
 RULE 9: EFFECT OF A FAILURE TO PLEAD
- Defenses and objections not pleaded either in a motion to dismiss or
in the answer are deemed waived. However, when it appears from
the pleadings or the evidence on record that the court has no
jurisdiction over the subject matter, the court shall dismiss the claim
- A compulsory counterclaim, or a crossclaim, not set up shall be
barred
- DEFAULT is when the defending party fails to answer within the time
allowed thereof, the court shall, upon motion of the claiming party
with notice to the defending party, declare the defending party in
default. Thereupon, the court shall proceed to render judgment
granting the claimant such relief as his pleading may warrant, unless
the court in its discretion requires the claimant to submit evidence

a.) A party in default shall be entitled to notice of subsequent

proceedings but not to take part in the trial
b.) A party declared in default may at any time after notice thereof
and before judgement, file a motion under oath to set aside the
order of default upon proper showing that his failure to answer
was due to fraud, accident, mistake or excusable negligence and
that he has meritorious defense
c.) When a pleading asserting a claim state a common cause of
action against several defending parties, some of whom answer
and others fail to do so, the court shall try the case against all
upon the answers this filed and render judgement upon evidence
presented
d.) A judgement rendered against a party in default shall not exceed
the amount or be different in kind from that prayed for nor award
unliquidated damages
e.) If the defending party in an action for annulment or declaration of
nullity of marriage or for legal separation fails to answer, the court
shall order the Solicitor General or his or her deputized public
prosecutor, to investigate whether a collusion between the parties
exists, and if there is no collusion, to intervene for the State in
order to see to it that the evidence submitted is not fabricated.
 RULE 10: AMENDED AND SUPPLEMENTAL PLEADINGS
- Pleadings may be amended by adding or striking out an allegation or
the name of any party, or by correcting a mistake in the name of a
party or a mistaken or inadequate allegation or description in any
other respect
- A SUPPLEMENTAL PLEADING is upon motion of a party, the court
may, upon reasonable notice and upon such terms as are just,
permit him to serve a supplemental pleading setting forth
transactions, occurrences or events which have happened since the
date of the pleadings sought to be supplemented. The adverse party
may plead thereto within 10 days from notice of the order admitting
the supplemental pleading
- An AMENDED PLEADING supersedes the pleading that it amends.
However, admissions in superseded pleadings may be offered in
evidence against the pleader, and claims or defenses alleged
therein not incorporated in the amended pleading shall be deemed
waived

RULE 11: WHEN TO FILE RESPONSIVE PLEADINGS

- Defendant shall file his answer to the complaint within 30 days after
service of summons, unless a different period is fixed by the court
- If the defendant is a foreign private juridical entity and service of
summons is made on the government official designated by law to
receive the same, the answer shall be filed within 60 days after
receipt of summons by such entity
- When plaintiff files an amended complaint as a matter of right, the
defendant shall answer the same within 30 days after being served
with a copy. If it is not a matter of right, the defendant shall answer
the amended complaint within 15 days from notice of the order
admitting the same, this shall also apply to the answer to an
amended counterclaim, amended crossclaim, amended third party
complaint, and amended complaint-in-intervention
- Answers to counterclaim or crossclaim must be within 20 days from
service
 - A reply, allowed under Rule 6, may be filed within 15 days from
service of the pleading responded to
- Supplemental complaints may be answered within 20 days from
notice of the order admitting the same, unless a different period is
fixed by the court
- A defendant may, for meritorious reasons, be granted an additional
period of not more than 30 days to file an answer. The defendant is
only allowed to file 1 motion for extension of time to file an answer. A
motion for extension to file any pleading, other than an answer, is
prohibited and considered a mere scrap of paper. However, the
court may allow any other pleading to be filed after the time fixed by
these rules

RULE 12: BILL OF PARTICULARS

- A party may move for a definite statement or for a bill of particulars
of any matter, which is not averred with sufficient definiteness or
particularity, to enable him properly to prepare his responsive
pleading. If the pleading is a reply, the motion must be filed within 10
days from service thereof. Such motion shall point out the defect
complained of
- If the motion is granted, either whole or in part, the compliance
therewith must be affected within 10 days from notice of the order.
The bill of particulars or a more definite statement ordered by the
court may be filed either in a separate or in an amended pleading
- If the order is not obeyed, the court may order the striking out of the
pleading or the proportions thereof to which the order was directed
or make such other order as it deems just
- A bill of particulars becomes a part of the pleading for which it is
intended

RULE 13: FILING AND SERVICE OF PLEADINGS, JUDGEMENT AND

OTHER PAPERS
- FILING is the act of submitting the pleading or other paper to court,
while SERVICE is the act of providing a party with a copy of the
pleading or any other court submission
- Filing of pleadings and other court submissions shall be made by:
 a.) Submitting personally the original
b.) Sending by registered mail
c.) Sending by accredited courier
d.) Transmitting by electronic mail or other electronic means
authorized by the court

- Service by registered mail shall be made by depositing the copy in

the post office or to the party’s counsel at his office, if known,
otherwise at his residence with postage fully pre-paid, and with
instructions to the postmaster to return the mail to sender after 10
days if undelivered. Service may be done by ordinary mail if there is
no registry service available in the locality of the sender or
addressee
- Service by electronic means and facsimile shall be made if the party
concerned consents to such modes of service. It shall be made by
sending an e-mail to the party or his counsel’s e-mail address.
Service by facsimile shall be made by sending a facsimile copy to
the party’s or counsel’s given facsimile number
- Presumptive notice to a party of a court setting if such notice
appears on the records to have been mailed at least 20 days prior to
the scheduled date of hearing if the addressee if from the judicial
region. 30 days if he is from outside the judicial region
- Judgements, final orders, or resolutions shall be served either
personally or by registered mail

- The following orders, pleadings, and other documents must be

served or filed personally or by registered mail when allowed, and
shall not be served or filed electronically, unless express permission
is granted by the court:
a.) Initiatory pleadings and initial responsive pleadings such as an
answer
b.) Subpoena, protection orders, and writs
c.) Appendices and exhibits to motions, or other documents that are
not readily amenable to electronic scanning
d.) Sealed and confidential documents or records

- Personal service is completed upon actual delivery. Service order by

ordinary mail is complete upon expiration of 10 days after mailing.
Service by registered mail is complete upon actual receipt by the
 addressee, or after 5 days from date he has received the first notice
of the postmaster. Service by accredited courier is complete upon
actual receipt by the addressee, or at least 2 attempts of delivery by
courier service, or upon expiration of 5 days after first attempt to
deliver. Electronic service is complete at the time of the electronic
transmission of the document, or when available, at the time that the
electronic notification of service of the document is sent. Electronic
service is not effective or complete if the party serving the document
learns that it did not reach the addressee or person to be served

- Proof of filing shall be proved by the following:

a.) Filing shall be proven by written or stamped acknowledgement of

its filing by the clerk of court for pleadings or any other court
submission which is not on record, but is claimed to have been
filed personally
b.) If by registered mail, filing shall be proven by registry receipt and
by the affidavit of the person who mailed it, containing a full
statement of the date and place of deposit of the mail in the post
office in a sealed envelope addressed to the court
c.) If filed by accredited courier service, it shall be proven by an
affidavit of service of the person who brought the pleading or
other document to the service provider, together with the courier’s
official receipt and document tracking number
d.) If filed by electronic mail, it shall be proven by affidavit of
electronic filing of the filing party accompanied by a paper copy of
the pleading or other document transmitted or a written or
stamped acknowledgement of its filing by the clerk of court

- Proof of personal service shall consists of a written admission of the

party served, or the official return of the server, or the affidavit of the
party serving containing a statement of the date, place, and manner
of service