RULE 42

PETITION FOR REVIEW FROM THE REGIONAL TRIAL COURTS TO THE COURT
OF APPEALS
Section 1. How appeal taken; time for filing.

A party desiring to appeal from a decision of the Regional Trial Court rendered in the
exercise of its appellate jurisdiction may file a verified petition for review with the Court
of Appeals, paying at the same time to the clerk of said court the corresponding docket
and other lawful fees, depositing the amount of P500.00 for costs, and furnishing the
Regional Trial Court and the adverse party with a copy of the petition. The petition shall
be filed and served within fifteen (15) days from notice of the decision sought to be
reviewed or of the denial of petitioner’s motion for new trial or reconsideration filed in
due time after judgment. Upon proper motion and the payment of the full amount of the
docket and other lawful fees and the deposit for costs before the expiration of the
reglementary period, the Court of Appeals may grant an additional period of fifteen (15)
days only within which to file the petition for review. No further extension shall be
granted except for the most compelling reason and in no case to exceed fifteen (15)
days.
Sec. 2. Form and contents.

The petition shall be filed in seven (7) legible copies, with the original copy intended for
the court being indicated as such by the petitioner, and shall (a) state the full names of
the parties to the case, without impleading the lower courts or judges thereof either as
petitioners or respondents; (b) indicate the specific material dates showing that it was
filed on time; (c) set forth concisely a statement of the matters involved, the issues
raised, the specification of errors of fact or law, or both, allegedly committed by the
Regional Trial Court, and the reasons or arguments relied upon for the allowance of the
appeal; (d) be accompanied by clearly legible duplicate originals or true copies of the
judgments or final orders of both lower courts, certified correct by the clerk of court of
the Regional Trial Court, the requisite number of plain copies thereof and of the
pleadings and other material portions of the record as would support the allegations of
the petition.
The petitioner shall also submit together with the petition a certification under oath that
he has not theretofore commenced any other action involving the same issues in the
Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals or different divisions thereof, or any other tribunal
or agency; if there is such other action or proceeding, he must state the status of the
same; and if he should thereafter learn that a similar action or proceeding has been filed
or is pending before the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, or different divisions
thereof, or any other tribunal or agency, he undertakes to promptly inform the aforesaid
courts and other tribunal or agency thereof within five (5) days therefrom.

Sec. 3. Effect of failure to comply with requirements.

The failure of the petitioner to comply with any of the foregoing requirements regarding
the payment of the docket and other lawful fees, the deposit for costs, proof of service
of the petition, and the contents of and the documents which should accompany the
petition shall be sufficient ground for the dismissal thereof.
Sec. 4. Action on the petition.

The Court of Appeals may require the respondent to file a comment on the petition, not
a motion to dismiss, within ten (10) days from notice, or dismiss the petition if it finds the
same to be patently without merit, prosecuted manifestly for delay, or that the questions
raised therein are too unsubstantial to require consideration.
Sec. 5. Contents of comment.

The comment of the respondent shall be filed in seven (7) legible copies, accompanied
by certified true copies of such material portions of the record referred to therein
together with other supporting papers and shall (a) state whether or not he accepts the
statement of matters involved in the petition; (b) point out such insufficiencies or
inaccuracies as he believes exist in petitioner’s statement of matters involved but
without repetition; and (c) state the reasons why the petition should not be given due
course. A copy thereof shall be served on the petitioner.
Sec. 6. Due course.

If upon the filing of the comment or such other pleadings as the court may allow or
require, or after the expiration of the period for the filing thereof without such comment
or pleading having been submitted, the Court of Appeals finds prima facie that the lower
court has committed an error of fact or law that will warrant a reversal or modification of
the appealed decision, it may accordingly give due course to the petition.
Sec. 7. Elevation of record.
Whenever the Court of Appeals deems it necessary, it may order the clerk of court of
the Regional Trial Court to elevate the original record of the case including the oral and
documentary evidence within fifteen (15) days from notice.
Sec. 8. Perfection of appeal; effect thereof.

(a) Upon the timely filing of a petition for review and the payment of the corresponding
docket and other lawful fees, the appeal is deemed perfected as to the petitioner.
The Regional Trial Court loses jurisdiction over the case upon the perfection of the
appeals filed in due time and the expiration of the time to appeal of the other parties.

However, before the Court of Appeals gives due course to the petition, the Regional
Trial Court may issue orders for the protection and preservation of the rights of the
parties which do not involve any matter litigated by the appeal, approve compromises,
permit appeals of indigent litigants, order execution pending appeal in accordance with
section 2 of Rule 39, and allow withdrawal of the appeal.

(b) Except in civil cases decided under the Rule on Summary Procedure, the appeal
shall stay the judgment or final order unless the Court of Appeals, the law, or these
Rules shall provide otherwise.

Sec. 9. Submission for decision.

If the petition is given due course, the Court of Appeals may set the case for oral
argument or require the parties to submit memoranda within a period of fifteen (15) days
from notice. The case shall be deemed submitted for decision upon the filing of the last
pleading or memorandum required by these Rules or by the court itself.