Jurisdiction of the Regional Trial Court

I. Exclusive Original Jurisdiction in Civil Cases

(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 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 he 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 (400,000.00);
(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 (400,000.00);
(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 quasijudicial 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 Courts of Agrarian Relations as now
provided by law; and
(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 (300,000.00) or, in such other abovementioned items exceeds Four hundred thousand
pesos (400,000.00).
II. Original Jurisdiction in Other Cases
(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
(2) In actions affecting ambassadors and other public ministers and consuls.
III. Appellate Jurisdiction
Regional Trial Courts shall exercise appellate jurisdiction 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 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.
IV. Special Jurisdiction to Try Special Cases
The Supreme Court may designate 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 interest of a speedy and efficient administration of justice.

Jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts and Municipal Circuit
Trial Courts
I. Exclusive Original Jurisdiction

(1) 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 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) 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) 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 value of such
property shall be determined by the assessed value of the adjacent lots.
II. 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 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.
III. 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.
IV. Summary Procedures in Special Cases
In Metropolitan Trial Courts and Municipal Trial Courts with at least two branches, the Supreme Court
may designate one or more branches thereof to try exclusively forcible entry and unlawful detainer
cases, those involving violations of traffic laws, rules and regulations, violations of the rental law, and
such other cases requiring summary disposition as the Supreme Court may determine. The Supreme
Court shall adopt special rules or procedures applicable to such cases in order to achieve an
expeditious and inexpensive determination thereof without regard to technical rules. Such simplified
procedures may provide that affidavits and counter-affidavits may be admitted in lieu of oral testimony
and that the periods for filing pleadings shall be non-extendible.

Jurisdiction of the Court of Appeals

I. 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.
II. Exclusive Original Jurisdiction
Over actions for annulment of judgements of Regional Trial Courts
III. Exclusive Appellate Jurisdiction
Over all final judgements, resolutions, 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.

Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court

I. Original Jurisdiction
Over cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers, and consuls.
II. Original and Exclusive Jurisdiction
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 of Appeals.

III. Original and Concurrent Jurisdiction

1. With the Courts of First Instance in:
(a) A petition for the issuance of writs of certiorari, prohibition, mandamus, quo warranto, and
habeas corpus;
and
(b) In actions brought to prevent and restrain violations of law concerning monopolies and
combinations in
restraint of trade.
IV. Exclusive Jurisdiction
1. 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:
(a) 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;
(b) All cases involving petitions for naturalization or denaturalization; and
(c) All decisions of the Auditor General, if the appellant is a private person or entity.
2. To review, revise, reverse, modify or affirm on certiorari as the law or rules of court may
provide, final judgments and decrees of inferior courts as herein provided, in:
(a) All cases in which the constitutionality or validity of any treaty, law, ordinance, or executive
order or regulation is in question;
(b) All cases involving the legality of any tax, impost, assessment or toil, or any penalty imposed
in relation
thereto;
(c) All cases in which the jurisdiction of any inferior court is in issue;
(d) 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 three
next preceding paragraphs also
involve questions of fact or mixed questions of fact and 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 Court on writ of
certiorari; and
(e) Final awards, judgments, decisions, or orders of the Commission on Elections, Court of Tax
Appeals, Court of
Industrial Relations, the Public Service Commission and the Workmen's
Compensation Commission."