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AN ACT REORGANIZING THE JUDICIARY, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR

OTHER PURPOSES

The Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980

CHAPTER I: COURT OF APPEALS

Composition:
One (1) Presiding Justice and fifty (50) Associate Justice who shall be appointed by the
President of the Philippines.

Jurisdiction:

. Concurrent Original jurisdiction:

to issue writs of
1. mandamus,
2. prohibition,
3. certiorari,
4. habeas corpus, and
5. quo warranto,and
6. auxiliary writs or processes, whether or not in aid of its appellate jurisdiction;

Exclusive original jurisdiction:

over actions for annulment of judgements of Regional Trial Courts; and

Exclusive appellate jurisdiction:

over all
1. 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.

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
and appellate jurisdiction, including the power to grant and conduct new trials or 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.)
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.

CHAPTER II: REGIONAL TRIAL COURTS

There are hereby created thirteen (13) Regional Trial Courts

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 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).

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.

. 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.

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.

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.

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.
 CHAPTER III
METROPOLITAN TRIAL COURTS, MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURTS, AND MUNICIPAL CIRCUIT
TRIAL COURTS

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)
. 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.