Jurisdiction is the sun around which the remedial system revolves.

Master the issue in

jurisdiction, you have already complied 50% of remedial law.

Basis of Jurisdiction:
1. The Constitution, particularly section 5 of Article 6;
2. BP 129 as amended by RA 7691;
3. RA 8369
4. RA 7639- Sandiganbayan- constitutionally mandated court

Jurisdiction is conferred by law. It is the law that gives authority

Kinds of Jurisdiction:
1. Over the subject matter
2. Over the person or property
3. Over the res
4. Over the issue

In criminal cases, there is what you called territorial jurisdiction. Venue here is
Jurisdictional. In civil cases, venue is different from jurisdiction

Not capable or pecuniary estimation, jurisdiction is with the RTC

Jurisdiction over the subject matter—7691 (actions involving title to or possession of

real property). If the claim is more that P400,000.00 in Metro Manila; or more than
P300,000.00 outside Metro Manila

Jurisdiction over person/ parties:

1. Plaintiff;
2. Defendant.

How does the court acquire jurisdiction over the:

1. Plaintiff?
Upon filing of the complaint. But jurisprudence dictates the mere filing of the
complaint is not sufficient, payment of the correct docket fees is required (Check
Alday vs FGU Insurance).
2. Defendant?
a. Valid service of summons;
b. Voluntary appearance. When the defendant voluntary submitted himself to
the jurisdiction of the court.

Rule 14 provides for the Summons to be served to the defendant. The defendant maybe
a prisoner, incompetent, insane or a corporation. (Check the Millenium case)

Hierarchy of Philippine Courts

(And their Jurisdictions)

The Final Arbiter: The Supreme Court

The supreme law of the land decrees that the judicial power be vested in one Supreme Court and
such lower courts as may be established by law. [Section 1, Art. VIII, 1987 Constitution). Thus
the Supreme Court of the Philippines composed of 14 Associate Justices and one Chief Justice is
established.

Seated in division or en banc the Supreme Court is duty bound to adjudicate on 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; the latter obligation
being unique to the 1987 Constitution.

Section 5 of Article VIII of our present constitution declares the powers of the Supreme Court.
Paragraph 2 of the same Article and section provides for the court’s authority to:

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:

1. 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.

2. All cases involving the legality of any tax, impost, assessment, or toll, or any penalty
imposed in relation thereto.

3. All cases in which

4. the jurisdiction of any lower court is in issue.

5. All criminal cases in which the penalty imposed is reclusion perpetua or higher.
 6. All cases in which only an error or question of law is involved.

Thus the Supreme Court is the court of last resort for its decisions are final: doctrines established
through jurisprudence either by the court sitting en banc or in division can only be reversed by
the same court seated en banc.

Appelate Courts:The Court of Appeals

Composed of a Presiding Justice and sixty eight Associate Justices, the CA is vested with general
appellate jurisdiction over the decisions of the Regional Trial Courts and specific quasi-judicial
agencies, boards or commissions as provided for in Rule 40-43 of the 1997 Rules of Procedures,
National Amnesty Commission, the Ombudsman and the National Labor Relation Commission.
The justices sit in divisions composed of three members, where a unanimous determination is
required for a decision otherwise two additional justices will sit temporarily with them forming a
special division of five and the majority shall be necessary of a decision.

Courts of General Jurisdiction: REGIONAL TRIAL COURTS

Formerly known as the Court of First Instances (CFI) Regional Trial Courts were established
among the thirteen regions in the Philippines consisting of Regions I to XII and the National
Capital Region (NCR). There are as many Regional Trial Courts in each region as the law
mandates.

These courts have authority to try cases, without limitations as to the issue or monetary
restrictions, to which Municipal, Metropolitan and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts are subjected
to. Thus Civil claims or Criminal prosecutions which involves an amount of money or a potential
criminal sentence, beyond the jurisdiction of Municipal, Metropolitan and Municipal Circuit
Trial Courts must be filed and heard in this Court.

R.A. 7961 expands the Regional Trial Courts exercise of exclusive original jurisdiction in civil
cases:

1. Actions in which the subject of litigation is incapable of Pecuniary estimation;

2. Actions which involves the title to, or possession of, real property, or any interest therein,
where the assessed value of the property involved exceeds twenty thousand pesos, or for civil
actions in Metro Manila, where such value exceeds fifty thousand pesos, except actions for
forcible entry and unlawful detainer;

3. Actions in admiralty and maritime jurisdiction where the demand or claim exceeds two
hundred thousand pesos or, in Metro Manila four hundred thousand pesos;
4. Matters of probate, both testate and intestate, where the gross value of the estate exceeds
two hundred thousand pesos or in Metro Manila four hundred thousand pesos;

5. Actions involving the contract of marriage and marital relations (now under the
jurisdiction of the Family Court);

6. Cases not with in the exclusive jurisdiction of any court, tribunal, person or body
exercising judicial or quasi judicial functions;

7. Civil actions and special proceedings falling with in the exclusive original jurisdiction of
the Juvenile and domestic relation court (now Family Court)

8. Other cases in which the demand, exclusive of interest, damages of whatever kind,
attorney’s fees, litigation expense and costs, or the value of the property in controversy exceeds
to hundred thousand pesos or, in such other cases in Metro Manila, where the demand, exclusive
of the abovementioned items exceeds four hundred thousand pesos.

However, in cases where the claim for damages is the main cause of action, or one of the causes
of action, the amount of such claim shall be considered in determining the jurisdiction of the
court.

Courts of Limited Jurisdiction: Municipal and City Courts

I. Municipal Trial Courts and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts
Municipalities in the Philippines have their own Municipal Trial Court, which try cases
limited to civil suits involving relatively smaller amounts of money and minor violations of
criminal laws. Labeled as “inferior courts”, they hears and adjudicate most of the controversies
that occur in the Community and these are the courts closest to the people.
They are referred to as Municipal Trial Court (MTC) if one covers only one municipality;
otherwise, it is called Municipal Circuit Trial Court (MCTC) if it covers two or more
municipalities.

Municipal Trial Courts in the towns and cities in the Metropolitan Manila area, as distinguished
from the other political subdivisions in the Philippines, are referred to as Metropolitan Trial
Courts (MeTC).

The equivalent of the Municipal Trial Courts in cities outside Metropolitan Manila is referred to
as Municipal Trial Courts in Cities (MTCC).