JURISDICTION

By Maximus Notes

Municipal Trial Courts/

Supreme Court Court of Appeals Regional Trial Court Family Courts Metropolitan Trial Court/
Municipal Circuit Trial
Courts
A. Original
Jurisdiction
1. Art VIII, Section 5. (1) [1987 Sec 9 (2) [BP 129]. Exclusive Sec 19 {except (5) }[BP 129]. Sec. 5. {except (a) } [RA Section 33. Jurisdiction of
Exclusive Constitution] original jurisdiction over Jurisdiction in civil cases. – 8369] Jurisdiction offamily Metropolitan Trial Courts,
 over petitions for actions for annulment of Regional Trial Courts shall Courts. - The Family Courts Municipal Trial Courts and
certiorari, prohibition, judgements of Regional Trial exercise exclusive original shall have exclusive original Municipal Circuit Trial Courts
mandamus, quo Courts; and jurisdiction: jurisdiction to hear and decide in civil cases. – Metropolitan
warranto, and habeas the following cases: Trial Courts, Municipal Trial
corpus (1) In all civil actions in which Courts, and Municipal Circuit
(Regalado) the subject of the litigation is Trial Courts shall exercise:
CPM against: incapable of pecuniary b) Petitions for guardianship,
a) Court of Appeals estimation; custody of children, habeas (1) Exclusive original
b) Court of Tax Appeals corpus in relation to the latter; jurisdiction over civil actions
c) Sandiganbayan (2) In all civil actions which c) Petitions for adoption of and probate proceedings,
d) Commission on involve the title to, or children and the revocation testate and intestate, including
Elections possession of, real property, or thereof; the grant of provisional
e) Commission on Audit any interest therein, where the d) Complaints for annulment remedies in proper cases,
assessed value of the property of marriage, declaration of where the value of the
involved exceeds Twenty nullity of marriage and those personal property, estate, or
thousand pesos (P20,000.00) relating to marital status and amount of the demand does
or for civil actions in Metro property relations of husband not exceed One hundred
Manila, where such the value and wife or those living thousand pesos (P100,000.00)
exceeds Fifty thousand pesos together under different or, in Metro Manila where such
(50,000.00) except actions for status and agreements, and personal property, estate, or
forcible entry into and unlawful petitions for dissolution of amount of the demand does
detainer of lands or buildings, conjugal partnership of gains; not exceed Two hundred
original jurisdiction over which e) Petitions for support and/or thousand pesos (P200,000.00)
is conferred upon Metropolitan acknowledgment; exclusive of interest damages
Trial Courts, Municipal Trial f) Summary judicial of whatever kind, attorney's
Courts, and Municipal Circuit proceedings brought under fees, litigation expenses, and
Trial Courts; the provisions of Executive costs, the amount of which
Order No. 209, otherwise must be specifically alleged:
(3) In all actions in admiralty known as the "Family Code of Provided, That where there are
and maritime jurisdiction where the Philippines"; several claims or causes of
he demand or claim exceeds g) Petitions for declaration of
One hundred thousand pesos status of children as
(P100,000.00) or , in Metro abandoned, dependent o
Manila, where such demand or neglected children, petitions
claim exceeds Two hundred for voluntary or involuntary
thousand pesos (200,000.00); commitment of children; the
suspension, termination, or
(4) In all matters of probate, restoration of parental
both testate and intestate, authority and other cases
where the gross value of the cognizable under Presidential
estate exceeds One hundred Decree No. 603, Executive
thousand pesos (P100,000.00) Order No. 56, (Series of
or, in probate matters in Metro 1986), and other related laws;
Manila, where such gross value h) Petitions for the
exceeds Two hundred constitution of the family
thousand pesos (200,000.00);; home;
i) Cases against minors
(6) In all cases not within the cognizable under the
exclusive jurisdiction of any Dangerous Drugs Act, as
court, tribunal, person or body amended;
exercising jurisdiction or any j) Violations of Republic Act
court, tribunal, person or body No. 7610, otherwise known
exercising judicial or quasi- as the "Special Protection of
judicial functions; Children Against Child Abuse,
Exploitation and
(7) In all civil actions and Discrimination Act," as
special proceedings falling amended by Republic Act No.
within the exclusive original 7658; and
jurisdiction of a Juvenile and
Domestic Relations Court and k) Cases of domestic violence
of the Courts of Agrarian against:
Relations as now provided by 1) Women - which are acts of
law; and gender based violence that
results, or are likely to result
(8) In all other cases in which in physical, sexual or
the demand, exclusive of psychological harm or
interest, damages of whatever suffering to women; and other
kind, attorney's fees, litigation forms of physical abuse such
expenses, and costs or the as battering or threats and
value of the property in coercion which violate a
controversy exceeds One woman's personhood,
hundred thousand pesos integrity and freedom
action 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
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 question 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.
(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,
 (100,000.00) or, in such other movement; and That value of such property
abovementioned items exceeds shall be determined by the
Two hundred thousand pesos 2) Children - which include assessed value of the adjacent
(200,000.00). (as amended by the commission of all forms lots. (as amended by R.A. No.
R.A. No. 7691*) of abuse, neglect, cruelty, 7691)
exploitation, violence, and
Note: discrimination and all other
Not included is Sec 19 (5) [BP conditions prejudicial to their
129] In all actions involving the development.
contract of marriage and marital If an act constitutes a criminal
relations offense, the accused or
batterer shall be subject to
criminal proceedings and the
corresponding penalties.

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.
2. (Regalado)
Concurrent (a). With the Court of Appeals
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

(b) With the Court of Appeals and Regional Trial Court

 over petitions for certiorari, prohibition, mandamus against RTC
 quo warranto, and habeas corpus
With the RTC: With the SC:
 Exercise original  Exercise original
jurisdiction over cases jurisdiction over cases
affecting affecting ambassadors,
ambassadors, other other public ministers
public ministers and and consuls
consuls
B. Petitions for review on
Appellate certiorari against:
Jurisdiction - Court of Appeals
- Court of Tax Appeals
- Sandiganbayan
- Regional Trial Courts
involving cases on –Art VIII,
Sec 5 (2)
(a) All cases in which the
constitutionality or validity of
any treaty, international or
executive agreement, law,
presidential decree,
proclamation, order,
instruction, ordinance, or
regulation is in question.
(b) All cases involving the
legality of any tax, impost,
assessment, or toll, or any
penalty imposed in relation
thereto.
(c) All cases in which the
jurisdiction of any lower court
is in issue.
(d) All criminal cases in which
the penalty imposed is
reclusion perpetua or higher.
(e) All cases in which only an
error or question of law is
involved.
Delegated Jurisdiction
Sec 9 (3) [BP 129].
1. Ordinary Appeals:
Exclusive appellate jurisdiction
over all final judgments,
resolutions, orders or awards
of Regional Trial Courts *
2.Appeal by Petition for
Review from:
quasi-judicial agencies,
instrumentalities, boards or
commission, including the
Securities and Exchange
Commission, the Social
Security Commission, the
Employees Compensation
Commission and the Civil
Service Commission,
3.. Petitions for review from
the RTC to cases appealed
thereto from the lower courts
Note:
* Except those falling within
the appellate jurisdiction of the
Supreme Court in accordance
with the Constitution, the
Labor Code of the Philippines
under Presidential Decree No.
442, as amended, the
provisions of this Act, and of
subparagraph (1) of the third
paragraph and subparagraph
4 of the fourth paragraph od
Section 17 of the Judiciary Act
of 1948.
Section 22. Appellate
jurisdiction. – Regional Trial
Courts shall exercise appellate
jurisdiction over all cases
decided by Metropolitan Trial
Courts, Municipal Trial Courts,
and Municipal Circuit Trial
Courts in their respective
territorial jurisdictions. Such
cases shall be decided on the
basis of the entire record of the
proceedings had in the court of
origin and such memoranda
and/or briefs as may be
submitted by the parties or
required by the Regional Trial
Courts. The decision of the
Regional Trial Courts in such
cases shall be appealable by
petition for review to the
Court of Appeals which may
give it due course only when
the petition shows prima facie
that the lower court has
committed an error of fact or
law that will warrant a reversal
or modification of the decision
or judgment sought to be
reviewed.
Section 34. Delegated
jurisdiction in cadastral and
land registration cases. –

Special Jurisdiction Section 23. Special jurisdiction
to try special cases. – The
Supreme Court may designate
certain branches of the
Regional Trial Courts to handle
exclusively criminal cases,
juvenile and domestic relations
cases, agrarian cases, urban
land reform cases which do not
fall under the jurisdiction of
quasi-judicial bodies and
agencies, and/or such other
special cases as the Supreme
Court may determine in the
interest of a speedy and
efficient administration of
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)
Section 35. Special jurisdiction
in certain cases. – In the
absence of all the Regional
Trial Judges in a province or
city, any Metropolitan Trial
Judge, Municipal Trial Judge,
Municipal Circuit Trial Judge
may hear and decide petitions
for a writ of habeas corpus or
applications for bail in criminal
cases in the province or city
where the absent Regional
Trial Judges sit.
 justice.

Jurisdiction Sec 4 (last par) (Art VII, 1987 Section 36. Summary
in other Constitution) procedures in special cases. –
cases The Supreme Court sitting en In Metropolitan Trial Courts
banc, shall be the sole judge and Municipal Trial Courts with
of all contests relating to the at least two branches, the
election, returns and Supreme Court may designate
qualifications of the president one or more branches thereof
or vice president, and may to try exclusively forcible entry
promulgate rules for the and unlawful detainer cases,
purpose. those involving violations of
traffic laws, rules and
Sec 18 (3) (Art VII, 187 regulations, violations of the
Consitution) The Supreme rental law, and such other
Court may review, in an cases requiring summary
appropriate proceeding filed disposition as the Supreme
by any citizen, the sufficiency Court may determine. The
of the factual basis of the Supreme Court shall adopt
proclamation of martial law or special rules or procedures
the suspension of the privilege applicable to such cases in
of the writ or the extension order to achieve an
thereof… expeditious and inexpensive
determination thereof without
regard to technical rules. Such
simplified procedures may
provide that affidavits and
counter-affidavits may be
admitted in lieu of oral
testimony and that the periods
for filing pleadings shall be
non-extendible.

Section 5. After five (5) years from the effectivity of this Act, the jurisdictional amounts mentioned in Sec. 19(3), (4), and (8); and Sec. 33(1) of Batas Pambansa Blg. 129 as
amended by this Act, shall be adjusted to Two hundred thousand pesos (P200,000.00). Five (5) years thereafter, such jurisdictional amounts shall be adjusted further to Three
hundred thousand pesos (P300,000.00): Provided, however, That in the case of Metro Manila, the abovementioned jurisdictional amounts shall be adjusted after five (5) years
from the effectivity of this Act to Four hundred thousand pesos (P400,000.00).[RA 7691]