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HIERARCHY OF COURTS

(And their Jurisdiction)




There are four levels of courts in the Philippines which were established by the
Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980 (BP 129), which took effect on January 18, 1983,
and other laws.

Our judicial System at present are courts of both of law and equity and have
jurisdiction over all civil, criminal and probate cases unlike those courts in other
countries.


A. MUNICIPAL AND CITY COURTS
(Trial Courts of Limited Jurisdiction)

This court is limited to civil suits involving relatively smaller amounts of money
and to minor violations of the criminal laws. The law provides for 436 Municipal Trial
Courts (MTC) and 482 Municipal Circuit Trial Courts (MCTC). If the court covers one
municipality it is MTC, and if the court covers to or more municipalities, it is called
MCTC.

The equivalent of MTC in Metropolitan Manila is called Metropolitan Trial
Courts (MeTC) and those courts located in the cities outside Metro Manila are called
Metropolitan Trial Court in Cities (MTCC). There are 82 MeTC and 124 MTCCs in the
Philippines.

These courts of very limited jurisdiction may be at the bottom of the judicial
totem pole and are often labeled inferior courts hears and determines most of the
controversies that occur in the Community are heard and these are the courts closest to
the people.

JURISDICTION OF MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURTS
Exclusive jurisdiction: In Civil Cases (Sec 33 Batas Blg. 129, as amended by
RA 7691: Shall exercise exclusive jurisdiction in the following cases:

1. Civil actions and probate proceedings, testate and intestate, including the
grant of provisional remedies in the proper cases, where the value of
personal property, estate or amount of the demand does not exceed One
hundred thousand pesos or, in Metro Manila does not exceed two hundred
thousand pesos, exclusive of interest, damages of whatever kind,
attorneys fees, litigation expenses and costs, the amount of which must be
specifically alleged: Provided, that the interest, damages of whatever kind,
attorneys fee, litigation expenses, and the costs shall be included in the
determination of the filing fees; Provided, further, that were 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 causes of action, irrespective of whether the
causes or action arose out of the same or different transactions

2. Cases of forcible entry and unlawful detainer: Provided, that when in such
cases, the defendant raises the question of ownership in is pleadings and
the question of possession cannot be resolved only to determine the issue
of possession; and

3. Civil Actions which involves title to, or in possession of, real property or
any interest therein where the assessed value of the property or the interest
therein does not exceed twenty thousand pesos, and fifty thousand pesos in
Metro Manila. Exclusive of interest, damages of whatever kind, attorneys
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.


B. REGIONAL TRIAL COURTS
(Trial Courts of General Jurisdiction)

Formerly known as the Court of First Instances (CFI), these courts are
empowered to try all kinds of case, without monetary or subject matter limitation. Civil
claims or Criminal prosecutions which involves an amount of money or a potential
criminal sentence, beyond the jurisdiction of Municipal, Metropolitan and Municipal
Circuit Trial Courts must be filed and heard in this Court.

We also have the Sharias Court under the Muslim code with Jurisdiction over
Muslim Filipinos in Mindanao. As provided in PD 1083 the code recognizes the legal
system of the Muslims in the Philippines as part of the law of the land and seeks to make
Islamic institutions more effective. However a Muslim code is not exclusive; it codified
only those laws which are believed to be most important.

Our law provides for 720 RTCs which decides cases coming from MTC, MeTC,
MCTC, MTCC are appealed. In addition to this it exercises exclusive and original
jurisdiction in all criminal cases not within the exclusive jurisdiction of any court,
tribunal or body.

As to jurisdiction in civil cases, generally, they exercise exclusive original
jurisdiction in all civil actions in which the subject of litigation is incapable of pecuniary
estimation.

JURISDICTION OF REGIONAL TRIAL COURTS
Exclusive Original Jurisdiction: The Regional Trial Courts exercise exclusive
original jurisdiction in the following civil cases:

1. Actions in which the subject of litigation is incapable of Pecuniary
estimation;

2. Actions which involves the title to, or possession of, real property, or any
interest therein, where the assessed value of the property involved exceeds
twenty thousand pesos, or for civil actions in Metro Manila, where such
value exceeds fifty thousand pesos, except actions for forcible entry and
unlawful detainer;

3. Actions in admiralty and maritime jurisdiction where the demand or claim
exceeds two hundred thousand pesos or, in Metro Manila four hundred
thousand pesos;

4. Matters of probate, both testate and intestate, where the gross value of the
estate exceeds two hundred thousand pesos or in Metro Manila four
hundred thousand pesos;

5. Actions involving the contract of marriage and marital relations (now
under the jurisdiction of the Family Court);

6. Cases not with in the exclusive jurisdiction of any court, tribunal, person
or body exercising judicial or quasi judicial functions;

7. Civil actions and special proceedings falling with in the exclusive original
jurisdiction of the Juvenile and domestic relation court (now Family
Court)

8. Other cases in which the demand, exclusive of interest, damages of
whatever kind, attorneys fees, litigation expense and costs, or the value of
the property in controversy exceeds to hundred thousand pesos or, in such
other cases in Metro Manila, where the demand, exclusive of the
abovementioned items exceeds four hundred thousand pesos.

However, in cases where the claim for damages is the main cause of action, or
one of the causes of action, the amount of such claim shall be considered in
determining the jurisdiction of the court.


E. COURT OF APPEALS
(The Intermediate Appellate Court)

The body that generally has the exclusive appellate jurisdiction over the decisions
of the RTCs nationwide as well as the awards, judgments, final orders or resolutions of,
or authorized by 21 Quasi-judicial agencies exercising quasi judicial functions mentioned
in Rule 43 of the 1997 Rules of Procedures, National Amnesty Commission, the
Ombudsman and the National Labor Relation Commission.

Consist of a Presiding Justice and 50 Associate Justices which exercises its power
and duties through 17 divisions each composed of three members. The unanimous vote of
three members of the divisions shall be necessary for a decision otherwise two additional
justices will sit temporarily with them forming a special division of five and the majority
shall be necessary of a decision.

JURISDICTION OF COURT OF APPEALS (see other paper)


SPECIAL APPELATE COURTS:
1. COURT OF TAX APPEALS (CTA)

CTA acts only on protests of private person adversely affected by the tax
and customs law. Created by RA 1125 which was amended by RA 9282 which
expanded the jurisdiction of the CTA elevating its rank to the level of Collegiate
Court.

Composed of Presiding Justice and Five Associate Justice it acquired both
the original and appellate jurisdictions over civil and criminal tax cases, matters
involving criminal violation and collection of revenues under the National
Internal Revenue Code and cases involving local and real property taxes which
used to be with the RTC and CA.

JURISDICTION OF COURT OF TAX APPEALS
Exclusive Appellate Jurisdiction: to review by appeal the following:

1. Decisions of the Commissioner of the Internal Revenue in cases involving
disputed assessment, refunds of Internal Revenue taxes, fees or other
charges, penalties imposed in relation thereto, or other matters arising
under the National Internal Revenue Code or other law or part of the law
administered by the BIR;

2. Decisions of the Commissioner of Customs in cases involving liability for
custom duties, fees or other money charges; seizures, detentions or release
of property affected; fines, forfeitures or other penalties imposed in
relation thereto; or other matters arising under the Custom Law or other
law or part of law administered by the Bureau of Customs;

3. Decisions of the Secretary of Finance, such as in the imposition of
dumping or countervailing duty, and in automatic review, cases where
such decision of the Secretary of Finance is adverse to the taxpayer.

2. SANDIGANBAYAN

Composed of a Presiding Justice and 14 associate justices. This court is
considered as a Graft Court with exclusive Jurisdiction over violations of the
Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (RA 3019) as amended the unexplained
Wealth Act (RA 1379) and other offenses committed by public officials and
employees in government owned or controlled corporations.

JURISDICTION OF SANDIGANBAYAN
Exclusive Original Jurisdiction: As provided in PD 1606 as amended by RA
7975 and RA 8249. The Sandiganbayan exercises exclusive original jurisdiction
in all cases involving:

1. Violations of RA 3019, as amended, otherwise known as the Anti-Graft
and corrupt Practices Act, RA 1379 and Chapter II, Sec 2, Title VII, Book
II of the RPC, where one or more of the accused are officials occupying
the following positions in the government, whether in a permanent, acting
or interim capacity, at the time of the commission of the offense;
I. Officials of executive branch occupying the positions of
regional director and higher otherwise classified as grade 27
and higher, of the Compensation and Position Classification
Act of 1989;
II. Members of Congress and officials thereof as grade 27 and
up under the Compensation and position clarification Act 0f
1989;
III. Members of the Judiciary with out prejudice to the provisions
of the Chairman and members of the Constitutional
Commissions with out prejudice to the provisions of the
Constitution and
IV. All other national and local officials classified as grade 27
and higher under the compensation and Position Classification
Act.

2. Violations of the law on Plunder and Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001
committed by the aforementioned public officials and employees in
relation to their office;

3. Other offenses and felonies whether simple or complexed with other
crimes committed by the aforementioned public officials and employees
in relation to their office;

4. Civil and Criminal cases filed pursuant to and in connection with EO 1, 2,
14 and 14-A issued in 1986;

5. Petition for the issuance of writs of mandamus, certiorari, habeas corpus,
injunction and other ancillary writs and processes in aid of its appellate
jurisdiction and over petitions of similar in nature, including quo warranto,
that may arise in cases filed under EO 1, 2, 14, 14-A issued in 1986:
Provided, that the jurisdiction over these petitions shal not be exclusive of
the Supreme Court


F. SUPREME COURT
(The Court of Last Resort)

Sits in Manila consisting of a Chief Justice and 14 Associate Justice which
decides in three divisions of five members except in certain case where they sit en banc.

It has the power to review on appeal or certiorari final judgment and order of
lower courts in certain cases such as when errors or question of law are invoked and
where the Constitution or the validity of statutes are involved. It has original jurisdiction
over petitions for certiorari, prohibitions, mandamus, quo warranto, and habeas corpus.

JURISDICTION OF SUPREME COURTS
As stated in the 1987 Constitution: Has the power to review, revise, reverse,
modify or affirm on appeal or certiorari as the law or the Rules of Court may
provide, final judgments and orders of lower courts in:

1. 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;

2. All cases involving the legality of any tax impost, assessment, or toll, or
any penalty in relation thereto;

3. All cases in which the jurisdiction of any lower court is in issue;

4. All criminal cases in which the penalty is reclusion perpetua or higher;

5. All cases in which only an error or question of law is involved;

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