JURISDICTIONS OF THE COURTS

1.

SUPREME COURT (Article VIII, 1987 Constitution)

1.1.Exclusive Original Jurisdiction in petitions for Certiorari, Prohibition, and Mandamus against
the:
a. Court of Appeals (Sec 17, Judiciary Act of 1948);
b. Commission on Elections (Sec 7, Art. IX, 1987 Constitution of the Philippines)
c. Commission on Audit (Sec 7, Art. IX, 1987 Constitution of the Philippines)
d. Sandiganbayan (P.D. No. 1606 as amended); and
e. Court of Tax Appeals.
1.2.Concurrent Original Jurisdiction with the Court of Appeals in petitions for certiorari,
prohibition, and mandamus against the (subject to Doctrine of Hierarchy of Courts):
a. Regional Trial Court (Sec. 21[1], B.P. 129);
b. Civil Service Commission (RA 7902)
c. Central Board Assessment Appeals (PD 464; BP 129; RA 7902);
d. National Labor Relations Commission
e. Other quasi-judicial agencies (BP 129; RA 7902)
1.3.Concurrent Original Jurisdiction with the Court of Appeals and the Regional Trial Court in
petitions for (subject to Doctrine of Hierarchy of Courts):
a. Certiorari;
b. Prohibition; and
c. Mandamus against lower courts and bodies and
d. Petitions for quo warranto and
e. Habeas Corpus
1.4.Concurrent Original Jurisdiction with Regional Trial Court in cases affecting
a. Ambassadors;
b. Public Ministers; and
c. Consuls
1.5.Appellate Jurisdiction by way of Petition for Review on Certiorari (appeal by Certiorari under
Rule 45) against the:
a. Court of Appeals;
b. Sandiganbayan; and
c. Regional Trial Court on pure questions of law.

Section 5. The Supreme Court shall have the following powers:

1. Exercise original jurisdiction over cases affecting
a. ambassadors,
b. other public ministers and consuls, and
c. over petitions for certiorari,
d. prohibition,
e. mandamus,
f. quo warranto, and
g. habeas corpus.
Also,

h.
i.
j.
k.

petitions for Writ of Amparo

petitions for habeas data
petitions for Writ of kalikasan
petition for writ of continuing mandamus

2. 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:
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.

BATAS PAMBANSA Blg. 129 - AN ACT REORGANIZING THE JUDICIARY, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

2. COURT OF APPEALS
Section 9. Jurisdiction. The Court of Appeals shall Exercise:
1. Original jurisdiction to issue
1.1. writs of mandamus,
1.2. prohibition,
1.3. certiorari,
1.4. habeas corpus, and
1.5. quo warranto, and
1.6. auxiliary writs or processes, whether or not in aid of its appellate jurisdiction;
2.

Exclusive original jurisdiction over

2.1. actions for annulment of judgements of Regional Trial Courts; and

3.

Exclusive appellate jurisdiction over all

3.1. final judgements,
3.2. resolutions,
3.3. orders or awards of Regional Trial Courts and 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,
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.

3. REGIONAL TRIAL COURT

Section 19. Jurisdiction in civil cases. Regional Trial Courts shall exercise exclusive original jurisdiction:

1.
2.

In all civil actions in which the subject of the litigation is incapable of pecuniary estimation;
In all civil actions which involve the title to, or possession of, real property, or any interest therein, where
2.1. the assessed value of the property involved exceeds Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000.00) or
2.2. for civil actions in Metro Manila, where such the value exceeds Fifty thousand pesos (50,000.00)
except actions for forcible entry into and unlawful detainer of lands or buildings, original jurisdiction
over which is conferred upon Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit
Trial Courts;

3.

In all actions in admiralty and maritime jurisdiction where the

3.1. demand or claim exceeds One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) or ,

3.2. in Metro Manila, where such demand or claim exceeds Two hundred thousand pesos (200,000.00);
4.

In all matters of probate, both testate and intestate, where the

4.1. gross value of the estate exceeds One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) or,
4.2. in probate matters in Metro Manila, where such gross value exceeds Two hundred thousand pesos
(200,000.00);
5.

In all actions involving the contract of marriage and marital relations;

6.

In all cases not within the exclusive jurisdiction of any court, tribunal, person or body exercising jurisdiction or
any court, tribunal, person or body exercising judicial or quasi-judicial functions;

7.

In all civil actions and special proceedings falling

7.1. within the exclusive original jurisdiction of a Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court and
7.2. of the Courts of Agrarian Relations as now provided by law; and

8.

In all other cases in which the demand,

8.1. exclusive of interest,
8.2. damages of whatever kind,
8.3. attorney's fees,
8.4. litigation expenses, and
8.5. costs or the value of the property in controversy exceeds One hundred thousand pesos (100,000.00) or,
8.6. in such other abovementioned items exceeds Two hundred thousand pesos (200,000.00). (as amended by
R.A. No. 7691*)

Section 20. Jurisdiction in criminal cases. Regional Trial Courts shall exercise exclusive original jurisdiction in
1.
2.

all criminal cases not within the exclusive jurisdiction of any court, tribunal or body,
except those now falling under the exclusive and concurrent jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan which shall hereafter
be exclusively taken cognizance of by the latter.

Section 21. Original jurisdiction in other cases. Regional Trial Courts shall exercise original jurisdiction:
(1) In the issuance of
1.1. writs of certiorari,
1.2. prohibition,
1.3. mandamus,
1.4. quo warranto,
1.5. habeas corpus and
1.6. injunction
which may be enforced in any part of their respective regions; and

(2) In actions affecting

2.1. ambassadors and
2.2. other public ministers and consuls.
Section 22. Appellate jurisdiction. Regional Trial Courts shall exercise appellate jurisdiction over
1. all cases decided by
1.1 Metropolitan Trial Courts,
1.2 Municipal Trial Courts, and
1.3 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 23. Special jurisdiction to try special cases. The Supreme Court may designate certain branches of the Regional
Trial Courts to handle exclusively
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

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 justice

4. METROPOLITAN TRIAL COURTS, MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURTS AND MUNICIPAL

CIRCUIT
Section 32. Jurisdiction of Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts in criminal
cases. Except in cases falling within the exclusive original jurisdiction of Regional Trial Courts and of the Sandiganbayan, the
Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts shall exercise:
(1) Exclusive original jurisdiction over all violations of city or municipal ordinances committed within their
respective territorial jurisdiction; and
(2) Exclusive original jurisdiction over all offenses punishable with imprisonment not exceeding six (6) years
irrespective of the amount of fine, and regardless of other imposable accessory or other penalties, including the civil
liability arising from such offenses or predicated thereon, irrespective of kind, nature, value, or amount
thereof: Provided, however, That in offenses involving damage to property through criminal negligence they shall have
exclusive original jurisdiction thereof. (as amended by R.A, No. 7691)
Section 33. Jurisdiction of Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts in civil cases.
Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts shall exercise:
(1) Exclusive original jurisdiction over
1.1. civil actions and probate proceedings,
1.2. 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 where there are several
claims or causes of 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
3.1. 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,
3.2. 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 value of such property shall be determined by the assessed value of the adjacent
lots. (as amended by R.A. No. 7691)
Section 34. Delegated jurisdiction in cadastral and land registration cases. Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial
Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts may be assigned by the Supreme Court to hear and determine
1. cadastral or land registration cases covering lots where there is no controversy or opposition, or
2. 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
1. writ of habeas corpus or
2. applications for bail in criminal cases in the province or city where the absent Regional Trial Judges sit.