HIERARCHY OF COURTS

Note: (Ang galing ko gumawa ng GRAPH trololol) Hindi porke pinakamababa ang MTC eh sa Court na 'yan nag-uumpisa lahat ng kaso. HINDI. NO-no. May mga JURISDICTION na prescribed
by law ang mga 'yan. Kaya depende sa AMOUNT ng CLAIM minsan, nag-uumpisa ang case sa RTC na.
Kunwari, ACTION FOR COLLECTION of SUM OF MONEY
NOT more than 300,000 (outside Metro Manila) or 400,000 (in Metro Manila) - MTC
MORE than 300,000 (outside Metro Manila) or 400,000 (in Metro Manila) - RTC
I-explain din naman nila yan.

Supreme Court (SC)
Court of Appeals (CA)
Regional Trial Court (RTC)
Municipal Trial Courts (MTC)
Metropolitan Trial Courts (MeTC)
Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC)
Municipal Circuit Trial Courts (MCTC)
Shari'a District Courts
Shari'a Circuit Courts
Quasi-Judicial Bodies
(COMELEC, Commission on Audit, Civil Service
Commission)
Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) SANDIGANBAYAN
Jurisdiction the power and authority of the court to hear, try and decide a case.


Jurisdiction versus exercise of jurisdiction

Jurisdiction if the power or authority of the court. The exercise of this power or authority is the exercise of jurisdiction.

Substantive law creates, defines and regulates rights and duties regarding life, liberty or property which when violated gives rise to a cause of action (Bustos v. Lucero, 81 Phil. 640).
Remedial law prescribes the methods of enforcing those rights and obligations created by substantive law by providing a procedural system for obtaining redress for the invasion of rights and violations of duties and by prescribing rules as to
how suits are filed, tried and decided by the courts.
ARTICLE VIII
JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT
Section 1. The judicial power shall be vested in one Supreme Court and in such lower courts as may be established by law.
Judicial power includes the duty of the courts of justice to settle actual controversies involving rights which are legally demandable and enforceable, and to determine whether or not there has been a grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack
or excess of jurisdiction on the part of any branch or instrumentality of the Government.
xxxx IMPORTANTE
Section 4. (1) The Supreme Court shall be composed of a Chief Justice and fourteen Associate Justices. It may sit en banc or in its discretion, in division of three, five, or seven Members. Any vacancy shall be filled within ninety days
from the occurrence thereof.
(2) All cases involving the constitutionality of a treaty, international or executive agreement, or law, which shall be heard by the Supreme Court en banc, and all other cases which under the Rules of Court are required to be heard en banc,
including those involving the constitutionality, application, or operation of presidential decrees, proclamations, orders, instructions, ordinances, and other regulations, shall be decided with the concurrence of a majority of the Members who
actually took part in the deliberations on the issues in the case and voted thereon.
(3) Cases or matters heard by a division shall be decided or resolved with the concurrence of a majority of the Members who actually took part in the deliberations on the issues in the case and voted thereon, and in no case without the
concurrence of at least three of such Members. When the required number is not obtained, the case shall be decided en banc: Provided, that no doctrine or principle of law laid down by the court in a decision rendered en banc or in division may
be modified or reversed except by the court sitting en banc.
Rulemaking Power of the SC
Section 5 (5), Art. VIII of the Constitution provides that the Supreme Court shall have the power to promulgate rules concerning the protection and enforcement of constitutional rights, pleading, practice, and procedure in all courts, the admission
to the practice of law, the Integrated Bar, and legal assistance to the underprivileged. Such rules shall provide a simplified and inexpensive procedure for the speed disposition of cases, shall be uniform for all courts of the same grade, and shall
not diminish, increase, or modify substantive rights. Rules of procedure of special courts and quasi-judicial bodies shall remain effective unless disapproved by the Supreme Court.
Limitations of the Rule-making Power of the Supreme Court
(1) The rules shall provide a simplified and inexpensive procedure for the speedy disposition of cases
(2) They shall be uniform for all courts of the same grade
(3) They shall not diminish, increase, or modify substantive rights (Sec. 5[5], Art. VIII, Constitution) .
(4) The power to admit attorneys to the Bar is not an arbitrary and despotic one, to be exercised at the pleasure of the court, or from passion, prejudice or personal hostility, but is the duty of the court to exercise and regulate it by a sound and
judicial discretion. (Andres vs. Cabrera, 127 SCRA 802)

Section 5. The Supreme Court shall have the following powers:
1) Exercise original jurisdiction over cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, and over petitions for certiorari, prohibition, mandamus, quo warranto, and habeas corpus.
(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.
(3) Assign temporarily judges of lower courts to other stations as public interest may require. Such temporary assignment shall not exceed six months without the consent of the judge concerned.
(4) Order a change of venue or place of trial to avoid a miscarriage of justice.
(5) Promulgate rules concerning the protection and enforcement of constitutional rights, pleading, practice, and procedure in all courts, the admission to the practice of law, the integrated bar, and legal assistance to the under-privileged. Such
rules shall provide a simplified and inexpensive procedure for the speedy disposition of cases, shall be uniform for all courts of the same grade, and shall not diminish, increase, or modify substantive rights. Rules of procedure of special courts
and quasi-judicial bodies shall remain effective unless disapproved by the Supreme Court.
(6) Appoint all officials and employees of the Judiciary in accordance with the Civil Service Law.
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Section 7. (1) No person shall be appointed Member of the Supreme Court or any lower collegiate court unless he is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines. A Member of the Supreme Court must be at least forty years of age, and must have
been for fifteen years or more, a judge of a lower court or engaged in the practice of law in the Philippines.

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Section 11. The Members of the Supreme Court and judges of lower courts shall hold office during good behavior until they reach the age of seventy years or become incapacitated to discharge the duties of their office. The Supreme Court en
banc shall have the power to discipline judges of lower courts, or order their dismissal by a vote of a majority of the Members who actually took part in the deliberations on the issues in the case and voted thereon.
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What is a Court?
(1) It is an organ of government belonging to the judicial department the function of which is the application of the laws to the controversies brought before it as well as the public administration of justice.
(2) It is a governmental body officially assembled under authority of law at the appropriate time and place for the administration of justice through which the State enforces its sovereign rights and powers (21 CJS 16).
(3) It is a board or tribunal which decides a litigation or contest (Hidalgo v. Manglapus, 64 OG 3189).
Court distinguished from Judge
(1) A court is a tribunal officially assembled under authority of law; a judge is simply an officer of such tribunal;
(2) A court is an organ of the government with a personality separate and distinct from the person or judge who sits on it;
(3) A court is a being in imagination comparable to a corporation, whereas a judge is a physical person ;
(4) A court may be considered an office; a judge is a public officer; and
(5) The circumstances of the court are not affected by the circumstances that would affect the judge.

Classification of Philippine Courts

(1) Regular courts engaged in the administration of justice are organized into four (4) levels:

(a) First Level (MTCs, MeTCs, MCTCs) which try and decide (1) criminal actions involving violations of city or municipal ordinances committed within their respective territorial jurisdiction and offenses punishable with imprisonment not
exceeding six (6) years irrespective of the amount of fine and regardless of other imposable accessory or other penalties, and (2) civil actions including ejectment, recovery of personal property with a value of not more than P300,000 outside MM
or does not exceed P400,000 in MM;

(b) Second Level (RTCs, Family Courts) courts of general jurisdiction; among the civil actions assigned to them by law are those in which the subject of litigation is incapable of pecuniary estimation, or involving title to or possession of real
property where the assessed value of the property exceeds P20,000 outside MM or exceeds P50,000 in MM, except actions for ejectment (forcible entry and unlawful detainer), or where the demand exclusive of interest, damages of whatever
kind, attorneys fees, litigation expenses, and cost, or the value of the personal property or controversy exceeds P300,000 outside MM or exceeds P400,000 in MM. RTCs also exercise appellate jurisdiction, to review cases appealed from courts
of the first level;

(c) Third Level (Court of Appeals, Sandiganbayan) CA is an appellate court, reviewing cases appealed to it from the RTC, on questions of fact or mixed questions of fact and law. Appeals to it decided by the RTC in the exercise of original
jurisdiction are a matter of right; appeals with respect to cases decided by the RTC in the exercise of its appellate jurisdiction are a matter of discretion. Occasionally, CA may act as a trial court, as in actions praying for the annulment of final and
executor judgments of RTCs on the ground of extrinsic fraud subsequently discovered, against which no other remedies lies.
Sandiganbayan has jurisdiction over all criminal and civil cases involving graft and corrupt practices act, and such other offenses committed by public officers and employees including those in GOCCs in relation to their office. It also has
exclusive appellate jurisdiction over final judgments, resolutions, or orders of RTCs whether in the exercise of their own original or appellate jurisdiction over criminal and civil cases committed by public officers or employees including those in
GOCCs in relation to their office.

(d) Fourth Level (Supreme Court)
The Court of Last Resort
Courts of General and Special Jurisdiction
(1) Courts of general jurisdiction are those with competence to decide on their own jurisdiction and to take cognizance of all cases, civil and criminal, of a particular nature. Courts of special (limited) jurisdiction are those which have only a special
jurisdiction for a particular purpose or are clothed with special powers for the performance of specified duties beyond which they have no authority of any kind.
(2) A court may also be considered general if it has the competence to exercise jurisdiction over cases not falling within the jurisdiction of any court, tribunal, person or body exercising judicial or quasi-judicial functions. It is in the context that
the RTC is considered a court of general jurisdiction.

Constitutional and Statutory Courts
(1) A constitutional court is one created by a direct Constitutional provision. Example of this court is the SC, which owes its creation from the Constitution itself. Only the SC is a Constitutional court.
(2) A statutory court is one created by law other than the Constitution. All courts except the SC are statutory courts. SB was not directly created by the Constitution but by law pursuant to a constitutional mandate.

Principle of Judicial Hierarchy
(1) This is an ordained sequence of recourse to courts vested with concurrent jurisdiction, beginning from the lowest, on to the next highest, and ultimately to the highest. This hierarchy is
determinative of the venue of appeals, and is likewise determinative of the proper forum for petitions for extraordinary writs. This is an established policy necessary to avoid inordinate demands upon the Courts time and attention which are
better devoted to those matters within its exclusive jurisdiction, and to preclude the further clogging of the Courts docket (Sec. 9[1], BP 129; Sec. 5[1], Art. VIII, Constitution of the Philippines).
(2) A higher court will not entertain direct resort to it unless the redress cannot be obtained in the appropriate courts. The SC is a court of last resort. It cannot and should not be burdened with the task of deciding cases in the first instances. Its
jurisdiction to issue extraordinary writs should be exercised only where absolutely necessary or where serious and important reasons exist.
(3) Petitions for the issuance of extraordinary writs against first level courts should be filed with the RTC and those against the latter with the CA. a direct invocation of the SCs original jurisdiction to issue these writs should be allowed only where
there are special and important reasons therefor, clearly and specifically set out in the petition.
(4) The doctrine of hierarchy of courts may be disregarded if warranted by the nature and importance of the issues raised in the interest of speedy justice and to avoid future litigations, or in cases of national interest and of serious implications.
Under the principle of liberal interpretations, for example, it may take cognizance of a petition for certiorari directly filed before it.

Doctrine of Non-interference or Doctrine of Judicial Stability
(1) Courts of equal and coordinate jurisdiction cannot interfere with each others orders. Thus, the RTC has no power to nullify or enjoin the enforcement of a writ of possession issued by another RTC. The principle also bars a court from
reviewing or interfering with the judgment of a co-equal court over which it has no appellate jurisdiction or power of review.
(2) This doctrine applies with equal force to administrative bodies. When the law provides for an appeal from the decision of an administrative body to the SC or CA, it means that such body is co-equal with the RTC in terms of rank and stature,
and logically beyond the control of the latter.

Doctrine of primary jurisdiction
(1) Courts will not resolve a controversy involving a question which is within the jurisdiction of an administrative tribunal, especially where the question demands the exercise of sound administrative discretion requiring the special knowledge,
experience and services of the administrative tribunal to determine technical and intricate matters of fact.
(2) The objective is to guide a court in determining whether it should refrain from exercising its jurisdiction until after an administrative agency has determined some question or some aspect of some question arising in the proceeding before the
court (Omictin vs. CA, GR 148004, January 22, 2007).

Doctrine of adherence of jurisdiction / continuity of jurisdiction
(1) In view of the principle that once a court has acquired jurisdiction, that jurisdiction continues until the court has done all that it can do in the exercise of that jurisdiction. This principle also means that once jurisdiction has attached, it cannot be
ousted by subsequent happenings or events, although of a character which would have prevented jurisdiction from attaching in the first instance. The court, once jurisdiction has been acquired, retains that jurisdiction until it finally disposes of the
case.
(2) Even the finality of the judgment does not totally deprive the court of jurisdiction over the case. What the court loses is the power to amend, modify or alter the judgment. Even after the judgment has become final, the court retains jurisdiction
to enforce and execute it (Echegaray vs. Secretary of Justice, 301 SCRA 96).

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

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Section 3. Organization. There is hereby created a Court of Appeals which consists of a Presiding Justice and fifty Associate Justice who shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines.
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Section 4. Exercise of powers and functions. The Court Appeals shall exercise its powers, functions, and duties, through seventeen (17) divisions, each composed of three (3) members. The Court may sit en banc only for the purpose of
exercising administrative, ceremonial, or other non-adjudicatory functions. (as amended by Exec. Order No. 33,.)
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Section 7. Qualifications. The Presiding Justice and the Associate Justice shall have the same qualifications as those provided in Constitution for Justice of the Supreme Court.
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Section 11. Quorum A majority of the actual members of the Court shall constitute a quorum for its session en banc. Three members shall constitute a quorum for the session of a division. The unanimous vote of the three members of a
division shall be necessary for the pronouncement of a decision of final resolution, which shall be reached in consultation before the writing of the opinion by any members of the division. In the event that the three members do not reach a
unanimous vote, the Presiding Justice shall request the Raffle Committee of the Court for the designation of two additional Justice to sit temporarily with them, forming a special division of five members and the concurrence of a majority of such
division shall be necessary for the pronouncement of a decision or final resolution. The designation of such additional Justice shall be made strictly by raffle.
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Section 13. Creation of Regional Trial Courts. There are hereby created thirteen (13) Regional Trial Courts, one for each of the following judicial regions:
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12 REGIONS + NCR
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Section 15. Qualifications. No persons shall be appointed Regional Trial Judge unless he is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, at least thirty-five years of age, and for at least ten years, has been engaged in the practice of law in the
Philippines or has held a public office in the Philippines requiring admission to the practice of law as an indispensable requisite.
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Section 25. Establishment of Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts. There shall be created a Metropolitan Trial Court in each metropolitan area established by law, a Municipal Trial Court in each of
the other cities or municipalities, and a Municipal Circuit Trial Court in each circuit comprising such cities and/or municipalities as are grouped together pursuant to law.
Section 26. Qualifications. No person shall be appointed judge of a Metropolitan Trial Court, Municipal Trial Court, or Municipal Circuit Trial Court unless he is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, at least 30 years of age, and, for at least
five years, has been engaged in the practice of law in the Philippines, or has held a public office in the Philippines requiring admission to the practice of law as an indispensable requisite.
Section 27. Metropolitan Trial Courts of the National Capital Region. There shall be a Metropolitan Trial Court in the National Capital Region, to be known as the Metropolitan Trial Court of Metro Manila, which shall be composed of eighty-two
(82) branches.
PRESIDENTIAL DECREE No. 1083 (HINDI niya to tinanong nun pero malay natin)
(1) The Shari'a District Court shall have exclusive original jurisdiction over:
(a) All cases involving custody, guardianship, legitimacy, paternity and filiation arising under this Code;
(c) Petitions for the declaration of absence and death and for the cancellation or correction of entries in the Muslim Registries mentioned in Title VI of Book Two of this Code;
(d) All actions arising from customary contracts in which the parties are Muslims, if they have not specified which law shall govern their relations; and
(e) All petitions for mandamus, prohibition, injunction, certiorari, habeas corpus, and all other auxiliary writs and processes in aid of its appellate jurisdiction.
(2) Concurrently with existing civil courts, the Shari'a District Court shall have original jurisdiction over:
(a) Petitions by Muslims for the constitution of a family home, change of name and commitment of an insane person to an asylum;
(b) All other personal and real actions not mentioned in paragraph 1 (d) wherein the parties involved are Muslims except those for forcible entry and unlawful detainer, which shall fall under the exclusive original jurisdiction of the
Municipal Circuit Court; and
(c) All special civil actions for interpleader or declaratory relief wherein the parties are Muslims or the property involved belongs exclusively to Muslims.

(1) Shari'a District Courts shall have appellate jurisdiction over all cases tried in the Shari'a Circuit Courts within their territorial jurisdiction.
(2) The Shari'a District Court shall decide every case appealed to it on the basis of the evidence and records transmitted as well as such memoranda, briefs or oral arguments as the parties may submit.

Inde ko na maalala yong iba.