COURT OF APPEALS

Section 9. Jurisdiction. The Court of Appeals shall Exercise:

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 judgements of Regional Trial Courts; and

3. 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.

REGIONAL TRIAL COURTS

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 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 One hundred
thousand pesos (P100,000.00) or , 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 gross value of the estate exceeds One
hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) or, 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 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 One hundred
thousand pesos (100,000.00) or, 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 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 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.
Section 22. 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.

Section 23. 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.

Section 24. Special Rules of Procedure. Whenever a Regional Trial Court takes cognizance of juvenile
and domestic relation cases and/or agrarian cases, the special rules of procedure applicable under
present laws to such cases shall continue to be applied, unless subsequently amended by law or by rules
of court promulgated by the Supreme Court.

METROPOLITAN TRIAL COURTS, MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURTS,

AND MUNICIPAL CIRCUIT TRIAL COURTS

X x x.

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 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 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 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. (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 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. (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 writ of habeas corpus or applications for bail in criminal cases in the
province or city where the absent Regional Trial Judges sit.

Section 36. 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.

Section 37. Preliminary investigation. Judges of Metropolitan Trial Courts, except those in the National
Capital Region, of Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts shall have authority to
conduct preliminary investigation of crimes alleged to have been committed within their respective
territorial jurisdictions which are cognizable by the Regional Trial Courts.

The preliminary investigation shall be conducted in accordance with the procedure prescribed in Section
1, paragraphs (a), (b), (c), and (d), of Presidential Decree No. 911: Provided, however, That if after the
preliminary investigation the Judge finds a prima facie case, he shall forward the records of the case to
the Provincial/City Fiscal for the filing of the corresponding information with the proper court.

No warrant of arrest shall be issued by the Judge in connection with any criminal complaint filed with him
for preliminary investigation, unless after an examination in writing and under oath or affirmation of the
complainant and his witnesses, he finds that a probable cause exists.

Any warrant of arrest issued in accordance herewith may be served anywhere in the Philippines.

Section 38. Judgments and processes.

(1) All judgments determining the merits of cases shall be in writing, stating clearly the facts and the law
on which they were based, signed by the Judge and filed with the Clerk of Court. Such judgment shall be
appealable to the Regional Trial Courts in accordance with the procedure now prescribed by law for
appeals to the Court of First Instance, by the provisions of this Act, and by such rules as the Supreme
Court may hereafter prescribe.

(2) All processes issued by the Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts and Municipal Circuit Trial
Courts, in cases falling within their jurisdiction, may be served anywhere in the Philippines without the
necessity of certification by the Judge of the Regional Trial Court.