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JURISDICTION OF VARIOUS COURTS
A) Jurisdiction of MeTC, MTC and MCTC in Civil Cases under B. P. Blg. 129 as
amended by R. A. 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 civil actions and probate proceedings, 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 Three hundred thousand pesos (P300,000.00)
or, in Metro Manila where such personal property, estate, or amount of the demand does not exceed Four
hundred thousand pesos (P400,000.00), exclusive of interest, damages of whatever kind, attorney's fees,
litigation expenses, and costs, the amount of which must be specifically alleged: Provided, That interest,
damages of whatever kind, attorney's fees, litigation expenses, and costs shall be included in the
determination of the filing fees: Provided, further, That where 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 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 questions 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; and
(3) Exclusive original jurisdiction in all civil actions which 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, 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 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."
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 cadastral or land registration cases covering lots where there is no
controversy or opposition, or contested lots 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."
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 writ of habeas corpus or applications for bail in criminal cases
in the province or city where the absent Regional Trial Judges sit.
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B) Jurisdiction of Regional Trial Courts in Civil Cases under B. P. Blg. 129 as amended
by R. A. 7691.
Section 19. Jurisdiction in civil cases. – Regional Trial Courts shall exercise exclusive original
jurisdiction:
(1) In all civil actions in which the subject of the litigation is incapable of pecuniary
estimation;
(2) In all civil actions which involve the title to, or possession of, real property, or any interest
therein, where the assessed value of the property involved exceeds Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000,00)
or, for civil actions in Metro Manila, where such value exceeds Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00) except
actions for forcible entry into and unlawful detainer of lands or buildings, original jurisdiction over which
is conferred upon the Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial
Courts;
(3) In all actions in admiralty and maritime jurisdiction where the demand or claim exceeds
Three hundred thousand pesos (P300,000.00) or, in Metro Manila, where such demand or claim exceeds
Four hundred thousand pesos (P4,000.00);
(4) In all matters of probate, both testate and intestate, where the gross value of the estate
exceeds Three hundred thousand pesos (P300,000.00) or, in probate matters in Metro Manila, where such
gross value exceeds Four Hundred thousand pesos (P400,000.00);
(5) In all actions involving the contract of marriage and marital relations; (See Section 5(d) of
R. A. No.8369, The Family Courts Act of 1997.)
(6) In all cases not within the exclusive jurisdiction of any court, tribunal, person or body
exercising jurisdiction of any court, tribunal, person or body exercising judicial or quasi-judicial
functions;
(7) In all civil actions and special proceedings falling within the exclusive original jurisdiction
of a Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court and of the Court of Agrarian Relations as now provided by
law; and (See Section 5 of R. A. No. 8369.
(8) In all other cases in which the demand, exclusive of interest, damages of whatever kind,
attorney's fees, litigation expenses, and costs or the value of the property in controversy exceeds Three
hundred thousand pesos (P300,000.00) or, in such other cases in Metro Manila, where the demand
exclusive of the abovementioned items exceeds Four Hundred thousand pesos (P400,000.00)."
Section 21. Original jurisdiction in other cases. – Regional Trial Courts shall exercise original
jurisdiction:
(1) In the issuance of writs of certiorari, prohibition, mandamus, quo warranto, habeas corpus
and injunction which may be enforced in any part of their respective regions; and
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(2) In actions affecting ambassadors and other public ministers and consuls. g) Petitions for declaration of status of children as abandoned, dependent o neglected children,
petitions for voluntary or involuntary commitment of children; the suspension, termination, or
restoration of parental authority and other cases cognizable under Presidential Decree No. 603,
Section 22. Appellate jurisdiction. – Regional Trial Courts shall exercise appellate jurisdiction
Executive Order No. 56, (Series of 1986), and other related laws;
over all cases decided by Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and 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 h) Petitions for the constitution of the family home;
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
i) Cases against minors cognizable under the Dangerous Drugs Act, as amended;
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.
j) Violations of Republic Act No. 7610, otherwise known as the "Special Protection of
Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act," as amended by Republic
Section 23. Special jurisdiction to try special cases. – The Supreme Court may designate
Act No. 7658; and
certain branches of the Regional Trial Courts to handle exclusively 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 k) Cases of domestic violence against:
interest of a speedy and efficient administration of justice.
1) Women - which are acts of gender based violence that results, or are likely to
result in physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women; and other
forms of physical abuse such as battering or threats and coercion which violate a
woman's personhood, integrity and freedom movement; and
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2) Children - which include the commission of all forms of abuse, neglect, cruelty,
C) Jurisdiction of the Family Courts under R. A. No. 8369, otherwise known as The
exploitation, violence, and discrimination and all other conditions prejudicial to
Family Courts Act of 1997.
their development.

Section 5. Jurisdiction of Family Courts. - The Family Courts shall have exclusive original
If an act constitutes a criminal offense, the accused or batterer shall be subject to criminal
jurisdiction to hear and decide the following cases:
proceedings and the corresponding penalties.

(a) Criminal cases where one or more of the accused is below eighteen (18) years of age but
If any question involving any of the above matters should arise as an incident in any case
not less than nine (9) years of age or where one or more of the victims is a minor at the time of
pending in the regular courts, said incident shall be determined in that court.
the commission of the offense: Provided, That if the minor is found guilty, the court shall
promulgate sentence and ascertain any civil liability which the accused may have incurred.
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The sentence, however, shall be suspended without need of application pursuant to Presidential
Decree No. 603, otherwise known as the "Child and Youth Welfare Code;) D) Jurisdiction of the Court of Appeals under B. P. Blg. 129 as amended by R. A. 7902.

b) Petitions for guardianship, custody of children, habeas corpus in relation to the latter; "Sec. 9. Jurisdiction. — The Court of Appeals shall exercise:

c) Petitions for adoption of children and the revocation thereof;
d) Complaints for annulment of marriage, declaration of nullity of marriage and those relating
to marital status and property relations of husband and wife or those living together under
different status and agreements, and petitions for dissolution of conjugal partnership of gains;
e) Petitions for support and/or acknowledgment;
f) Summary judicial proceedings brought under the provisions of Executive Order No. 209,
otherwise known as the "Family Code of the Philippines";
"(1) Original jurisdiction to issue writs of mandamus, prohibition, certiorari, habeas corpus,
and quo warranto, and auxiliary writs or processes, whether or not in aid of its appellate
jurisdiction;
"(2) Exclusive original jurisdiction over actions for annulment of judgment of Regional Trial
Courts; and
"(3) Exclusive appellate jurisdiction over all final judgments, decisions, resolutions, orders or
awards of Regional Trial Courts and quasi-judicial agencies, instrumentalities, boards or
commissions, including the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Social Security
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Commission, the Employees Compensation Commission and the Civil Service Commission, The Supreme Court shall further have exclusive jurisdiction to review, revise, reverse, modify
except those falling within the appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court in accordance with or affirm on certiorari as the law or rules of court may provide, final judgments and decrees of inferior
the Constitution, the Labor Code of the Philippines under Presidential Decree No. 442, as courts as herein provided, in
amended, the provisions of this Act, and of subparagraph (1) of the third paragraph and
subparagraph (4) of the fourth paragraph of Section 17 of the Judiciary Act of 1948.
(1) All cases in which the constitutionality or validity of any treaty, law, ordinance, or
executive order or regulation is in question;
"The Court of Appeals shall have the power to try cases and conduct hearings, receive evidence
and perform any and all acts necessary to resolve factual issues raised in cases falling within its original
(2) All cases involving the legality of any tax, impost, assessment or toil, or any penalty
and appellate jurisdiction, including the power to grant and conduct new trials or further proceedings.
imposed in relation thereto;
Trials or hearings in the Court of Appeals must be continuous and must be completed within three (3)
months, unless extended by the Chief Justice." (As amended by R. A, No. 7902)
(3) All cases in which the jurisdiction of any inferior court is in issue;
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(4) All other cases in which only errors or questions of law are involved: Provided, however,
That if, in addition to constitutional, tax or jurisdictional questions, the cases mentioned in the
E) Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court under R. A. No. 296 (The Judiciary Act of 1948) as
three next preceding paragraphs also involve questions of fact or mixed questions of fact and
amended by R. A. No. 5440.
law, the aggrieved party shall appeal to the Court of Appeals; and the final judgment or
decision of the latter may be reviewed, revised, reversed, modified or affirmed by the Supreme
Sec. 17. Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court shall have original jurisdiction Court on writ of certiorari; and
over cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers, and consuls; and original and exclusive
jurisdiction in petitions for the issuance of writs of certiorari, prohibition and mandamus against the Court
(5) Final awards, judgments, decisions, or orders of the Commission on Elections, Court of Tax
of Appeals.
Appeals, Court of Industrial Relations, the Public Service Commission and the Workmen's
Compensation Commission.
In the following cases, the Supreme Court shall exercise original and concurrent jurisdiction
with Courts of First Instance:
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1. In petition for the issuance of writs of certiorari, prohibition, mandamus, quo warranto, and
habeas corpus; and

2. In actions brought to prevent and restrain violations of law concerning monopolies and
combinations in restraint of trade.

The Supreme Court shall have exclusive jurisdiction to review, revise, reverse, modify or
affirm on appeal, as the law or rules of court may provide, final judgments and decrees of inferior courts
as herein provided, in

(1) All criminal cases involving offenses for which the penalty imposed is death or life
imprisonment; and those involving other offenses which, although not so punished, arose out
of the same occurrence or which may have been committed by the accused on the same
occasion, as that giving rise to the more serious offense, regardless of whether the accused are
charged as principals, accomplices or accessories, or whether they have been tried jointly or
separately;

(2) All cases involving petitions for naturalization or denaturalization; and

(3) All decisions of the Auditor General, if the appellant is a private person or entity.