Frequently Asked Questions
All cases which were not successfully
WHAT IS COURT-ANNEXED MEDIATION
(CAM)?
CAM is a voluntary process conducted under the
auspices of the court by referring the parties to
the Philippine Mediation Center (PMC) Unit for
the settlement of their dispute, assisted by a
Mediator accredited by the Supreme Court.
WHAT ARE THE CASES SUBJECT TO
CAM?
The following cases shall be referred to CAM:
1. All civil cases, except those which by law
may not be compromised (Article 2035,
New Civil Code);
2. Special proceedings for the settlement of
estates;
3. The civil aspect of Quasi-Offenses under
Title 14 of the Revised Penal Code;
4. The civil aspect of criminal cases where
the imposable penalty does not exceed six
years imprisonment and the offended
party is a private person; and
5. The civil aspect of theft (not qualified
theft), estafa (not syndicated or large scale
estafa), and libel.
WHAT IS JUDICIAL DISPUTE
WHAT ARE THE CASES THAT CANNOT
RESOLUTION (JDR)?
BE REFERRED TO CAM AND JDR?
JDR is a process whereby the judge (called the
The following cases shall not be referred to CAM
JDR Judge) employs conciliation, mediation or
and JDR:
early neutral evaluation in order to settle a case
at the pre-trial stage.  In the event the JDR fails,
then another judge (called the trial judge) shall
proceed to hear and decide the case.
WHAT ARE THE CASES SUBJECT TO
JDR?
The following cases shall be referred to JDR by
Judges in areas declared as JDR sites:
1.
settled in CAM;
2. All appealed cases from the exclusive and
original jurisdiction of the First Level
Courts:
a. over civil cases and probate
proceedings, testate and intestate,
under Section 33, paragraph (1) of
the Judiciary Reorganization Act of
1980;
b. over cases of forcible entry and
unlawful detainer under Section
33, paragraph (2) of the Judiciary
Reorganization Act of 1980;
c. over civil cases involving title to or
possession of real property or an
interest therein under Section 33,
paragraph (3) of the Judiciary
Reorganization Act of 1980; and
d. over a habeas corpus case decided
by the judge of the first level court,
in the absence of all the Regional
Trial Court judges in the province
or city, that are brought up on
appeal from the special jurisdiction
granted to the first level courts
under Section 35 of the Judiciary
Reorganization Act of 1980.
1. Civil cases which by law cannot be
compromised, as follows:
a. The civil status of persons;
b. The validity of a marriage or a legal
separation;
c. Any ground for legal separation;
d. Future support;
e. The jurisdiction of courts; and
 f. Future legitime.
2. Civil aspect of non-mediatable criminal
cases;
3. Petitions for Habeas Corpus;
4. All cases under Republic Act No. 9262
(Violence against Women and Children);
and
5. Cases with pending application for
Restraining Orders/Preliminary
Injunctions.
However, in cases covered in numbers 1, 4 and 5
where the parties inform the court that they have
agreed to undergo mediation on some aspects
thereof, e.g., custody of minor children,
separation of property, or support pendente lite,
the court shall refer them to mediation.
WHAT IS MEDIATION FEE?
The mediation fee is the amount collected by the
Clerk of Court from the filing of civil cases and
private complainant in criminal cases.
WHAT IS MEDIATION FUND?
Mediation fund is the totality of the mediation
fees, receipted and separated as a special fund,
known as the SC-PHILJA-PMC Mediation Trust
Fund, which is managed by the Philippine
Judicial Academy (PHILJA), subject to
accounting and auditing rules and regulations.
HOW MUCH IS COLLECTED AS
MEDIATION FEE?
In the Regional Trial Courts and the First-Level
Courts, the Clerks of Court shall collect the
amount of FIVE HUNDRED PESOS (P500.00)
upon the filing of the following:
1. Complaint or an Answer with a
mediatable permissive counterclaim or
cross-claim, complaint-in-intervention,
third-party complaint, fourth-party
complaint, etc., in civil cases, a Petition,
an Opposition, and a Creditors’ Claim in
Special Proceedings;
2. Complaint/Information for offenses with
maximum imposable penalty of prision
correccional in its maximum period or six
years imprisonment, except where the
civil liability is reserved or is subject of a
separate action;
3. Complaint/Information for estafa, theft,
and libel cases, except where the civil
liability is reserved or is subject of a
separate action;
4. Complaint/Information for Quasi-
Offenses under Title 14 of the Revised
Penal Code;
5. Intellectual Property cases;
6. Commercial or corporate cases; and
7. Environmental cases
The Clerks of Court of the First Level Courts
shall collect the amount of FIVE HUNDRED
PESOS (P500.00) upon the filing of a Notice of
Appeal with the Regional Trial Court.
The Clerks of Court of the Regional Trial Court
shall collect the amount of ONE THOUSAND
PESOS (P1,000.00) upon the filing of a Notice of
Appeal with the Court of Appeals or the
Sandiganbayan.
In the Court of Appeals and Court of Tax
Appeals, the Clerks of Court shall collect the
amount of ONE THOUSAND PESOS
(P1,000.00) upon the filing of a mediatable case,
petition, special civil action, a comment/answer
to the petition or action, and the appellee’s brief.
The Clerk of Court of the Court of Tax Appeals
shall also collect the amount of ONE
THOUSAND PESOS (P1,000.00) for the appeal
from the decision of a CTA Division to the CTA
En Banc.
WHY IS MEDIATION FEE COLLECTED
EVEN IN AREAS WHERE THERE ARE NO
PMC UNITS?
The mediation fee is intended as a contribution
to promote mediation. It is not collected for
mediation services rendered or to be rendered.
ARE THERE ANY EXEMPTIONS FROM
PAYMENT OF MEDIATION FEES?
Yes, the following are exempted from paying
mediation fees:
1. Pauper litigants as determined by the
Court. However, despite such exemption,
the court shall provide that the unpaid
contribution to the Mediation Fund shall
be considered a lien on any monetary
award in a judgment favorable to the
pauper litigant.
2. Accused/accused-appellant.
6. Clients of the National Committee on
Legal Aid (NCLA) and of Legal Aide
Offices in the Local Chapters of the
Integrated Bar of the Philippines (OCA
Circular No. 137-2009, October 7, 2009).
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE
MEDIATION FUND?
The Fund shall be used for:
1. Establishment of PMC Units;
2. Training seminars/ workshops/
internship programs for Mediators;
3. Payment of Mediators’ Fees;
4. Compensation of the PMC Unit Staff;
5. Payment of operating expenses;
6. Advocacy and promotion of court-
annexed mediation and other relevant
modes of ADR; and
7. Such other expenses as authorized by
Section 9, Rule 141 of the Rules of Court.

3. The Republic of the Philippines, its

agencies and instrumentalities are exempt
from paying the legal fees provided in the
rule.  Local Governments and
Government-Owned or Controlled
Corporations (GOCC) with or without
independent charters are not exempt from
paying such fees.
However, all court actions, criminal or
civil, instituted at the instance of the
provincial, city or municipal treasurer or
assessor under Sec. 280 of the Local
Government Code of 1991 shall be exempt
from the payment of Court and Sheriff’s
Fees.

4. Tenant-Farmer, agricultural lessee or

tiller, settler or amortizing owner-
cultivator (P.D. No. 946, Sec. 16, June 17,
1976).

5. Indigent Clients of the Public Attorney’s

Office (OCA Circular No. 121-2007, Dec.
11, 2007).