Municipal Trial Court/
Metropolitan Trial Courts/ Family Courts
Municipal Circuit Trial Courts/
Municipal Trial Courts in Cities
Exclusive (1) Exclusive original jurisdiction
over civil actions and probate
proceedings, testate and
intestate, including the grant of
provisional remedies in proper
cases, where the value of the
personal property, estate, or
amount of the demand does
not exceed One hundred
thousand pesos (P100,000.00)
or, in Metro Manila where such
personal property, estate, or
amount of the demand does
not exceed Two hundred
thousand pesos (P200,000.00),
exclusive of interest, damages
of whatever kind, attorney's
fees, litigation expenses, and
costs, the amount of which
must be specifically alleged:
Provided, That interest,
damages of whatever kind,
attorney's fees, litigation
expenses, and costs shall be
included in the determination
of the filing fees: Provided,
further, That where there are
several claims or causes of
actions between the same or
different parties, embodied in
the same complaint, the
amount of the demand shall be
the totality of the claims in all
the causes of action,
irrespective of whether the
causes of action arose out of
Regional Trial Courts
(1) Petitions for guardianship,
custody of children, habeas
corpus in relation to the latter;
(2) Petitions for adoption of
children and the revocation
thereof;
(3) Complaints for annulment of
marriage, declaration of nullity
of marriage and 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;
(4) Petitions for support and/or
acknowledgment;
(5) Summary judicial proceedings
brought under the provisions of
Executive Order No. 209,
otherwise known as the
"Family Code of the
Philippines";
(6) Petitions for declaration of
status of children as
abandoned, dependent o
neglected children, petitions
for voluntary or involuntary
commitment of children; the
suspension, termination, or
restoration of parental
authority and other cases
cognizable under Presidential
Decree No. 603, Executive
Court of Appeals Supreme Court
Jurisdiction in civil cases. – Regional Exclusive original jurisdiction over Petitions for certiorari, prohibition,
Trial Courts shall exercise exclusive actions for annulment of mandamus, quo warranto, and
original jurisdiction: judgements of Regional Trial Courts habeas corpus
(1) In all civil actions in which the
subject of the litigation is
incapable of pecuniary
estimation;
(2) In all civil actions which involve
the title to, or possession of,
real property, or any interest
therein, where the assessed
value of the property involved
exceeds Twenty Thousand
Pesos (P20,000.00) or for civil
actions in Metro Manila, where
such value exceeds Fifty
Thousand Pesos (P50,000.00),
except actions for forcible entry
into and unlawful detainer of
lands or buildings, original
jurisdiction over which is
conferred upon the
Metropolitan Trial Courts,
Municipal Trial Courts, and
Municipal Circuit Trial Courts;
(3) In all actions in admiralty and
maritime jurisdiction where the
demand or claim exceeds,
P300,000.00 or, in Metro
Manila, where such demand or
claim exceeds P400,000.00; "
(4) In all matters of probate, both
testate and intestate, where
the gross value of the estate
exceeds One hundred
thousand pesos (P100,000.00)
 Municipal Trial Court/
Metropolitan Trial Courts/
Municipal Circuit Trial Courts/
Municipal Trial Courts in Cities
the same or different
transactions;
(2) Exclusive original jurisdiction
over cases of forcible entry and
unlawful detainer: Provided,
That when, in such cases, the
defendant raises the questions
of ownership in his pleadings
and the question of possession
cannot be resolved without
deciding the issue of
ownership, the issue of
ownership shall be resolved
only to determine the issue of
possession; and
(3) Exclusive original jurisdiction in
all civil actions which involve
title to, or possession of, real
property, or any interest
therein where the assessed
value of the property or
interest therein does not
exceed Twenty thousand pesos
(P20,000.00) or, in civil actions
in Metro Manila, where such
assessed value does not exceed
Fifty thousand pesos
(P50,000.00) exclusive of
interest, damages of whatever
kind, attorney's fees, litigation
expenses and costs: Provided,
That in cases of land not
declared for taxation purposes,
the value of such property shall
be determined by the assessed
value of the adjacent lots.
Family Courts
Order No. 56, (Series of 1986),
and other related laws;
(7) Petitions for the constitution of
the family home;
(8) Cases against minors
cognizable under the
Dangerous Drugs Act, as
amended;
(9) 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
(10) Cases of domestic violence
against:
a) Women - which are acts of
gender based violence
that results, or are likely to
result in physical, sexual or
psychological harm or
suffering to women; and
other forms of physical
abuse such as battering or
threats and coercion
which violate a woman's
personhood, integrity and
freedom movement; and
b) Children - which include
the commission of all
forms of abuse, neglect,
cruelty, exploitation,
violence, and
discrimination and all
other conditions
prejudicial to their
development.
Regional Trial Courts Court of Appeals Supreme Court
or (P300,000.00) in probate
matters in Metro Manila,
where such gross value exceeds
Two Hundred thousand pesos
(P200,000.00) (P400,000);
(5) In all cases not within the
exclusive jurisdiction of any
court, tribunal, person or body
exercising jurisdiction of any
court, tribunal, person or body
exercising judicial or quasi-
judicial functions; "(7) 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
(6) In all other cases in which the
demand, exclusive of interest,
damages of whatever kind,
attorney's fees, litigation
expenses, and costs or the
value of the property in
controversy exceeds One
hundred thousand pesos
(P100,000.00) or, in such other
cases in Metro Manila, where
the demand exclusive of the
abovementioned items
exceeds Two Hundred
thousand pesos (P200,000.00)
 Municipal Trial Court/
Metropolitan Trial Courts/ Family Courts Regional Trial Courts Court of Appeals Supreme Court
Municipal Circuit Trial Courts/
Municipal Trial Courts in Cities

Concurrent Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court have Concurrent Jurisdiction over
petitions for certiorari, prohibition and mandamus against;
a) Regional Trial Courts
b) Civil Service Commission
c) Central Board of Assessments Appeals
d) National Labor Relations Commission
e) Other quasi-judicial agencies

The Regional Trial Court, Court of Appeals, and Supreme Court have concurrent jurisdiction:
a) over petitions for certiorari, prohibition, and mandamus against RTC
b) quo warranto and habeas corpus
With the Supreme Court: With the Regional Trial Court
Exercise original jurisdiction over Exercise original jurisdiction over
cases affecting ambassadors, other cases affecting ambassadors, other
public ministers and consuls public ministers and consuls
Appellate Regional Trial Courts shall exercise (1) Exclusive appellate jurisdiction (1) Petitions for Review on
appellate jurisdiction over all cases over all final judgements, Certiorari against:
decided by Metropolitan Trial resolutions, orders or awards if - Court of Appeals
Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and Regional Trial Courts; - Court of Tax Appeals
Municipal Circuit Trial Courts in their (2) Appeal by Petition for Review - Sandiganbayan
respective territorial jurisdictions. from quasi-judicial agencies, - RTC involving cases that
Such cases shall be decided on the instrumentalities, boards or Review, revise, reverse,
basis of the entire record of the commission, including the modify, or affirm on appeal
proceedings had in the court of Securities and Exchange or certiorari, as the law or
origin and such memoranda and/or Commission, the Social Security the Rules of Court may
briefs as may be submitted by the Commission, the Employees provide, final judgments
parties or required by the Regional Compensation Commission and and orders of lower courts
Trial Courts. The decision of the the Civil Service Commission; (2) All cases in which the
Regional Trial Courts in such cases (3) Petitions for Review from the constitutionality or validity of
shall be appealable by petition for RTC to cases appealed thereto any treaty, international or
review to the from lower courts; executive agreement, law,
presidential decree,
Court of Appeals which may give it Note: Except those falling within the proclamation, order,
due course only when the petition appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme instruction, ordinance, or
shows prima facie that the lower Court in accordance with the regulation is in question.
court has committed an error of fact Constitution, the Labor Code of the (3) All cases involving the legality of
or law that will warrant a reversal or Philippines under Presidential Decree any tax, impost, assessment, or
No. 442, as amended, the provisions
 Municipal Trial Court/
Metropolitan Trial Courts/ Family Courts Regional Trial Courts Court of Appeals Supreme Court
Municipal Circuit Trial Courts/
Municipal Trial Courts in Cities

modification of the decision or of this Act, and of subparagraph (1) toll, or any penalty imposed in
judgment sought to be reviewed. of the third paragraph and relation thereto.
subparagraph 4 of the fourth (4) All cases in which the
paragraph od Section 17 of the jurisdiction of any lower court is
Judiciary Act of 1948 in issue.
(5) All criminal cases in which the
penalty imposed is reclusion
perpetua or higher.
(6) All cases in which only an error
or question of law is involved.
Delegated Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal
Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit
Trial Courts may be assigned by the
Supreme Court to hear and
determine cadastral or land
registration cases covering lots
where there is no controversy or
opposition, or contested lots the
where the value of which does not
exceed One hundred thousand
pesos (P100,000.00), such value to
be ascertained by the affidavit of the
claimant or by agreement of the
respective claimants if there are
more than one, or from the
corresponding tax declaration of the
real property. Their decisions in
these cases shall be appealable in
the same manner as decisions of the
Regional Trial Courts. (as amended
by R.A. No. 7691)
Special In the absence of all the Regional The Supreme Court may designate
Trial Judges in a province or city, any certain branches of the Regional
Metropolitan Trial Judge, Municipal Trial Courts to handle exclusively
Trial Judge, Municipal Circuit Trial criminal cases, juvenile and
Judge may hear and decide petitions domestic relations cases, agrarian
for a writ of habeas corpus or cases, urban land reform cases
applications for bail in criminal cases which do not fall under the
 Municipal Trial Court/
Metropolitan Trial Courts/ Family Courts Regional Trial Courts Court of Appeals Supreme Court
Municipal Circuit Trial Courts/
Municipal Trial Courts in Cities

in the province or city where the jurisdiction of quasi-judicial bodies

absent Regional Trial Judges sit. and agencies, and/or such other
special cases as the Supreme Court
may determine in the interest of a
speedy and efficient administration
of justice.
Jurisdiction in In Metropolitan Trial Courts and (1) The Supreme Court, sitting en
Other Cases Municipal Trial Courts with at least banc, shall be the sole judge of
two branches, the Supreme Court all contests relating to the
may designate one or more election, returns, and
branches thereof to try exclusively qualifications of the President
forcible entry and unlawful detainer or Vice-President, and may
cases, those involving violations of promulgate its rules for the
traffic laws, rules and regulations, purpose.
violations of the rental law, and such (2) The Supreme Court may
other cases requiring summary review, in an appropriate
disposition as the Supreme Court proceeding filed by any citizen,
may determine. The Supreme Court the sufficiency of the factual
shall adopt special rules or basis of the proclamation of
procedures applicable to such cases martial law or the suspension
in order to achieve an expeditious of the privilege of the writ of
and inexpensive determination habeas corpus or the
thereof without regard to technical extension thereof, and must
rules. Such simplified procedures promulgate its decision
may provide that affidavits and thereon within thirty days
counter-affidavits may be admitted from its filing.
in lieu of oral testimony and that the
periods for filing pleadings shall be
non-extendible.