Section 16. Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.

– The jurisdiction acts necessary to resolve factual issues raised in cases falling
of the Supreme Court shall be of two kinds: 1. Original; and 2. within its original and appellate jurisdiction, including the power
Appellate. to grant and conduct new trials or further proceedings. Trials or
hearings in the Court of Appeals must be continuous and must
Section 17. Its original jurisdiction. – The Supreme Court shall be completed within three (3) months, unless extended by the
have original jurisdiction to issue writs of mandamus, certiorari, Chief Justice. (As amended by RA No. 7902, February 23,
prohibition, habeas corpus, and quo warranto in the cases and 1995.)
in the manner prescribed in the Code of Civil Procedure, and to
hear and determine controversies thus brought before it, and in Section 19. Jurisdiction in civil cases. – Regional Trial Courts
other cases provided by law. shall exercise exclusive original jurisdiction:
(1) In all civil actions in which the subject of the litigation is
Section 18. Its appellate jurisdiction. – The Supreme Court shall incapable of pecuniary estimation;
have appellate jurisdiction of all actions and special proceedings (2) In all civil actions which involve the title to, or possession of,
properly brought to it from Courts of First Instance, and from real property, or any interest therein, where the assessed value
other tribunals from whose judgment the law shall specially of the property involved exceeds Twenty thousand pesos
provide an appeal to the Supreme Court. (P20,000) or, for civil actions in Metro Manila, where such the
value exceeds Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000) except actions
for forcible entry into and unlawful detainer of lands or buildings,
Section 9. Jurisdiction. – The Court of Appeals shall exercise: original jurisdiction over which is conferred upon Metropolitan
(1) Original jurisdiction to issue writs of mandamus, prohibition, Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial
certiorari, habeas corpus, and quo warranto, and auxiliary writs Courts;
or processes, whether or not in aid of its appellate jurisdiction; (3) In all actions in admiralty and maritime jurisdiction where the
(2) Exclusive original jurisdiction over actions for annulment of demand or claim exceeds One hundred thousand pesos
judgments of Regional Trial Courts; and 
 (P100,000) or, in Metro Manila, where such demand or claim
(3) Exclusive appellate jurisdiction over all final judgments, exceeds Two hundred thousand pesos (P200,000); 

decisions, resolutions, orders or awards of Regional Trial Courts (4) In all matters of probate, both testate and intestate, where
and quasi-judicial agencies, instrumentalities, boards or the gross value of the estate exceeds One hundred thousand
commissions, including the Securities and Exchange pesos (P100,000) or, in probate matters in Metro Manila, where
Commission, the Social Security Commission, the Employees such gross value exceeds Two hundred thousand pesos
Compensation Commission and the Civil Service Commission, (P200,000); 

except those falling within the appellate jurisdiction of the (5) In all actions involving the contract of marriage and marital
Supreme Court in accordance with the Constitution, the Labor relations; 

Code of the Philippines under Presidential Decree No. 442, as (6) In all cases not within the exclusive jurisdiction of any court,
amended, the provisions of this Act, and of subparagraph (1) of tribunal, person or body exercising jurisdiction of any court,
the third paragraph and subparagraph (4) of the fourth tribunal, person or body exercising judicial or quasi- judicial
paragraph of Section 17 of the Judiciary Act of 1948. 
 functions; 

(7) In all civil actions and special proceedings falling within the
The Court of Appeals shall have the power to try cases and exclusive original jurisdiction of a Juvenile and Domestic
conduct hearings, receive evidence and perform any and all
Relations Court and of the Courts of Agrarian Relations as now Section 23. Special jurisdiction to try special cases. – The
provided by law; and 
 Supreme Court may designate certain branches of the Regional
(8) In all other cases in which the demand, exclusive of interest, Trial Courts to handle exclusively criminal cases, juvenile and
damages of whatever kind, attorney's fees, litigation expenses, domestic relations cases, agrarian cases, urban land reform
and costs or the value of the property in controversy exceeds cases which do not fall under the jurisdiction of quasi-judicial
One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000) or, in such other bodies and agencies, and/or such other special cases as the
cases in Metro Manila, where the demand, exclusive of the Supreme Court may determine in the interest of a speedy and
abovementioned items exceeds Two hundred thousand pesos efficient administration of justice.
(P200,000). (As amended by RA No. 7691, March 25, 1994.)
Section 24. Special Rules of Procedure. – Whenever a Regional
Section 20. Jurisdiction in criminal cases. – Regional Trial Trial Court takes cognizance of juvenile and domestic relations
Courts shall exercise exclusive original jurisdiction in all criminal cases and/or agrarian cases, the special rules of procedure
cases not within the exclusive jurisdiction of any court, tribunal applicable under present laws to such cases shall continue to
or body, except those now falling under the exclusive and be applied, unless subsequently amended by law or by rules of
concurrent jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan which shall court promulgated by the Supreme Court.
hereafter be exclusively taken cognizance of by the latter.
Section 32. Jurisdiction of Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal
Section 21. Original jurisdiction in other cases. – Regional Trial Trial Courts and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts in criminal cases.
Courts shall exercise original jurisdiction: (1) In the issuance of – Except in cases falling within the exclusive original jurisdiction
writs of certiorari, prohibition, mandamus, quo warranto, habeas of Regional Trial Courts and of the Sandiganbayan, the
corpus and injunction which may be enforced in any part of their Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal
respective regions; and (2) In actions affecting ambassadors Circuit Trial Courts shall exercise:
and other public ministers and consuls. (1) Exclusive original jurisdiction over all violations of city or
municipal ordinances committed within their respective territorial
Section 22. Appellate jurisdiction. – Regional Trial Courts shall jurisdiction; and 

exercise appellate jurisdiction over all cases decided by (2) Exclusive original jurisdiction over all offenses punishable
Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal with imprisonment not exceeding six (6) years irrespective of the
Circuit Trial Courts in their respective territorial jurisdictions. amount of fine, and regardless of other imposable accessory or
Such cases shall be decided on the basis of the entire record of other penalties, including the civil liability arising from such
the proceedings had in the court of origin and such memoranda offenses or predicated thereon, irrespective of kind, nature,
and/or briefs as may be submitted by the parties or required by value, or amount thereof: Provided, however, That in offenses
the Regional Trial Courts. The decision of the Regional Trial involving damage to property through criminal negligence they
Courts in such cases shall be appealable by petition for review shall have exclusive original jurisdiction thereof. (As amended
to the Court of Appeals which may give it due course only when by RA No. 7691, March 25, 1994.)** 

the petition shows prima facie that the lower court has
committed an error of fact or law that will warrant a reversal or Section 33. Jurisdiction of Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal
modification of the decision or judgment sought to be reviewed. 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 the Supreme Court to hear and determine cadastral or land
proceedings, testate and intestate, including the grant of registration cases covering lots where there is no controversy or
provisional remedies in proper cases, where the value of the opposition, or contested lots where the value of which does not
personal property, estate, or amount of the demand does not exceed One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000), such value to
exceed One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000) or, in Metro be ascertained by the affidavit of the claimant or by agreement
Manila where such personal property, estate, or amount of the of the respective claimants if there are more than one, or from
demand does not exceed Two hundred thousand pesos the corresponding tax declaration of the real property. Their
(P200,000), exclusive of interest, damages of whatever kind, decisions in these cases shall be appealable in the same
attorney's fees, litigation expenses, and costs, the amount of manner as decisions of the Regional Trial Courts. (As amended
which must be specifically alleged: Provided, That interest, by RA No. 7691, March 25, 1994.)
damages of whatever kind, attorney’s fees, litigation expenses,
and costs shall be included in the determination of filing fees: Section 35. Special jurisdiction in certain cases. – In the
Provided, further, That where there are several claims or causes absence of all the Regional Trial Judges in a province or city,
of actions between the same or different parties, embodied in any Metropolitan Trial Judge, Municipal Trial Judge, Municipal
the same complaint, the amount of the demand shall be the Circuit Trial Judge may hear and decide petitions for a writ of
totality of the claims in all the causes of action, irrespective of habeas corpus or applications for bail in criminal cases in the
whether the causes of action arose out of the same or different province or city where the absent Regional Trial Judges sit.
transactions;
(2) Exclusive original jurisdiction over cases of forcible entry Section 36. Summary procedures in special cases. – In
and unlawful detainer: Provided, That when, in such cases, the Metropolitan Trial Courts and Municipal Trial Courts with at least
defendant raises the question of ownership in his pleadings and two branches, the Supreme Court may designate one or more
the question of possession cannot be resolved without deciding branches thereof to try exclusively forcible entry and unlawful
the issue of ownership, the issue of ownership shall be resolved detainer cases, those involving violations of traffic laws, rules
only to determine the issue of possession; and 
 and regulations, violations of the rental law, and such other
(3) Exclusive original jurisdiction in all civil actions which involve cases requiring summary disposition as the Supreme Court may
title to, or possession of, real property, or any interest therein determine. The Supreme Court shall adopt special rules or
where the assessed value of the property or interest therein procedures applicable to such cases in order to achieve an
does not exceed Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000) or, in civil expeditious and inexpensive determination thereof without
actions in Metro Manila, where such assessed value does not regard to technical rules. Such simplified procedures may
exceed Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000) exclusive of interest, provide that affidavits and counter-affidavits may be admitted in
damages of whatever kind, attorney’s fees, litigation expenses lieu of oral testimony and that the periods for filing pleadings
and costs: Provided, That in cases of land not declared for shall be non-extendible.
taxation purposes, the value of such property shall be
determined by the assessed value of the adjacent lots. (As
amended by RA No. 7691, March 25, 1994.)* 


Section 34. Delegated jurisdiction in cadastral and land