Jurisdiction in Civil Cases
Article VIII, Section 5, 1987
Petitions for certiorari, prohibition
or mandamus (quo warranto &
habeas corpus) against:
Exclusive Original
For MTC and RTC:
Note: The adjusted
jurisdictional amount is
based on Sec. 5 of RA
7691, this year being the
2nd 5-year period
mentioned therein.
Supreme Court Court of Appeals Regional Trial Court
BP 129 BP 129 (Inferior Courts)
Constitution
1. The action is incapable of
pecuniary estimation.
2. Title to or possession of real
property therein, the
assessed value EXCEEDS
P20,000 or EXCEEDS
Actions for annulment of P50,000 in Metro Manila;
judgment of the RTC.
3. Admiralty and maritime
o CA; cases where demand or
o COMELEC; claim EXCEEDS P300,000 or
o COA; and EXCEEDS P400,000 in Metro
o Sandiganbayan Manila;
4. Matters of Probate (testate
& intestate) where gross
value of the estate EXCEEDS
P300,000 or EXCEEDS
P400,000 in Metro Manila;
5. All actions involving the
contract of marriage and
family relations (See RA
8369 amending BP 129)
Family Courts now have exclusive
original jurisdiction over:
a. Petitions for guardianship,
custody of children, habeas
corpus in relation to the
latter (but the SC and the
CA have not been deprived
of their original
jurisdiction);
b. Petitions for adoption of
children and the revocation
thereof;
c. Complaints for annulment
declaration of nullity of
marriage, matter relating to
marital status and property
relations of husband and
Metropolitan Trial Court
BP 129
1. Actions involving personal property,
whose value does NOT exceed
P300,000 or in Metro Manila the
amount does NOT exceed P400,000;
2. Demand for money NOT exceeding
P300,000 or in Metro Manila NOT
exceeding P400,000;
Note: Exclusive of Interest, Damages of
whatever kind, Attorney’s fees,
Litigation Expenses, and Costs
(IDALEC), the amount of which must be
specifically alleged but the filing fees
thereon shall be paid;
o The exclusion of the term
“damages of whatever
kind” applies to cases
where the damages are
merely incidental to or a
consequence of the main
cause of action. 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;
3. Probate proceedings (testate or
intestate) where the gross value of the
estate does NOT exceed P300,000 or in
Metro Manila the value does NOT
exceed P400,000;
4. Actions involving title to or possession
of real property, or any interest therein
where the assessed value or interest
therein does NOT exceed P20,000 or in
Metro Manila, does NOT exceed
 wife or those living P50,000;
together under different
status or agreement, and 5. Inclusion and exclusion of voters (BP
petitions for dissolution of 881, Sec. 138)
conjugal partnership of
gains; 6. Admiralty and maritime cases where
d. Support and/or demand or claim does NOT exceed
acknowledgment; P300,000, or in Metro Manila, does
e. Summary judicial NOT exceed P400,000;
proceedings under the
Family Code; and 7. Those covered by the Rules on
f. Petition for declaration of Summary Procedure:
status of children, voluntary a. Forcible Entry and Unlawful Detainer
of involuntary commitment o With jurisdiction to resolve
of children; matter relating issue of ownership to
to parental authority and determine ONLY the issue
other cases cognizable of possession;
under PD 603, EO 56 (series o Irrespective of the amount
of 1996) and other related of damages or unpaid
laws. rentals sought to be
- Under the Family recovered.
Code, the family
home is deemed Where attorney’s fees are
constitution, hence, awarded, the same shall
no need for its NOT exceed P20,000.
constitution.
b. Other civil cases, except probate
Special Provisional Remedies: proceedings, where the total amount
a. In cases of violence among of the plaintiff’s claim does NOT
the family members living exceed P200,000 in Metro Manila,
in the same domicile or exclusive of interests and costs (as
household, the Family amended by AM No. 02-11-09-SC,
Court may issue restraining effective November 25, 2002).
order against the accused,
or defendant upon verified
application by the
complainant or the victim
for relief from abuse;
b. The court may order the
temporary custody of
children in all civil actions
for their custody, support
pendente lite, including
deduction from the salary,
and use of conjugal home
and other properties in all
civil actions for support.
6. Cases NOT within the
exclusive jurisdiction of any
court, tribunal, person, or
body exercising judicial or
quasi-judicial functions
(general jurisdiction of
RTC);

7. Civil actions and special

proceedings falling within
the exclusive original
jurisdiction of Juvenile and
Domestic Relations Court
and of Court of Agrarian
Relations as now provided
by law;

8. All other cases where

demand EXCLUSIVE of
IDALEC or the value of the
property in controversy
EXCEEDS P300,00 or
EXCEEDS P400,000 in Metro
Manila;

9. Under Sec. 5.2 of the

Securities and Regulations
Code to hear and decide:
o Cases involving devices or
schemes employed by or
any acts of the board of
directors, business
associates, its officers or
partnership, amounting to
fraud and
misrepresentation which
may be detrimental to the
interest of the public
and/or of the stockholders,
partners, members or
associations or
organizations registered
with the SEC;
o Controversies arising out of
intra-corporate or
partnership relations;

With Court of Appeals:
a. Petition for CPM
against RTC, habeas
corpus, quo warranto;
Concurrent b. Petitions for CPM
against the NLRC.
With CA, Sandiganbayan and RTC:
a. Petitions for issuance
Note: While the Rules of Writ of Amparo;
provide for concurrent b. Petitions for Habeas
jurisdiction among the Data, where the action
RTC, CA and SC, the same involves public data or
is still subject to the government office.
principle of the
HIERARCHY OF COURTS, With CA, RTC and Sandiganbayan:
pursuant to Sec. 4 of Rule a. Petitions for CPM
65. against inferior courts
and other bodies;
b. Petitions for habeas
corpus and quo
warranto.
With RTC:
o Controversies in the
elections or appointments
of directors, trustees,
officers or managers of
such corporations,
partnerships or
associations;
o Petitions of corporations,
partnerships or associations
to be declared in the state
of suspension of payments
in cases where the entity
possesses sufficient
property to cover all its
debts but foresees the
impossibility of meeting
them when they fall due or
in cases where the entity
has no sufficient assets to
cover its liabilities but is
under the management of a
Rehabilitation Receiver or
Management Committee.
With Supreme Court: With SC: Actions affecting
a. Petitions for CPM ambassadors, public ministers and
against RTC, habeas consuls.
corpus, quo
warranto; With SC, CA and Sandiganbayan:
b. Petitions for CPM o Issuance of writs of CPM,
against the NLRC habeas corpus, quo
(However, this warranto, injunction against
should be filed with lower courts;
the CA first) o Issuance of Writ of Amparo
and habeas data.
With CA, Sandiganbayan and
RTC: With MTC: None
a. Petitions for
issuance of Writ of With Insurance Commissioner: Claims
Amparo; NOT exceeding P100,000.
b. Petitions for Habeas
Data, where the
action involves
public data or
government office.
With CA only, unless otherwise
provided by law:
 Actions against ambassadors, a. Petitions for CPM
other public ministers and consuls. against quasi-judicial
agencies (like CSC,
CBAA, CTA, etc.)
(Amendments to
Rule 65, A.M. No.
07-7-12-SC).

With SC, RTC and

Sandiganbayan:
a. Petitions for CPM
against inferior
courts and other
bodies; and
b. Petitions for habeas
corpus and quo
warranto.
Review, revise, reverse, modify, or Exclusive Appellate jurisdiction All cases decided by the lower courts NONE
affirm on appeal, certiorari the over all final judgments, in their respective territorial
following: decisions, resolutions, orders or jurisdiction except decisions of lower
a. All cases in which the awards of RTC and quasi-judicial courts in the exercise of delegated
constitutionality or agencies except those falling jurisdiction.
validity of any treaty, within the appellate jurisdiction
international or of the SC in accordance with the
executive agreement, Constitution, Labor Code, BP
law, presidential 129 and of subparagraph 1 of
decree, proclamation, the 3rd paragraph and
order, instruction, subparagraph 4 of the 4th
ordinance or regulation paragraph of Section 17 of the
is in question; Judiciary Act of 1948.
Appellate 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.
 May be assigned by the SC to hear cadastral or
land registration cases where there is no
Delegated controversy over the land or in case of contested
lands, the value does NOT exceed P100,000.

SC may designate certain branches of Petition for Habeas Corpus OR application for bail
RTC to try exclusively criminal cases, in criminal cases in the absence of all RTC judges
juvenile and domestic relations cases, in the province or city.
agrarian cases, urban and land reform
Special cases not falling within the jurisdiction
of any quasi-judicial body and other
special cases in the interest of justice.