Rules of Court & Jurisdiction of Philippine Courts

## Jurisdiction of Philippine Courts (B.P. Blg. 129, as amended by R.A. 7691)

### Supreme Court - Final arbiter; decides cases involving constitutionality, and petitions for certiorari on questions of law (Rule 45).

### Court of Appeals - Appellate jurisdiction over decisions of Regional Trial Courts (RTC) and quasi-judicial agencies; original jurisdiction over petitions for certiorari, prohibition, mandamus against RTCs and lower courts.

### Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) - Exclusive appellate jurisdiction over decisions of the CIR, the Commissioner of Customs, and related tax cases (R.A. 1125, as amended).

### Regional Trial Courts (RTC) - General jurisdiction in civil cases exceeding P2,000,000 (or P400,000 for small claims under the 2016 Rules), criminal cases punishable by imprisonment exceeding 6 years, and special cases (annulment, adoption, etc.).

### Metropolitan / Municipal / Municipal Trial Courts (MeTC/MTCC/MTC) - Civil cases up to P2,000,000 (excluding forcible entry/illegal detainer), criminal cases punishable by imprisonment ≤ 6 years, and small claims (≤ P1,000,000, exclusive of interest and costs, under the Small Claims Rules).

### Special rules of note - **Small claims** (A.M. No. 08-8-7-SC): no lawyers, decided within 30 days. - **Katarungang Pambarangay** (LGC 1991): mandatory mediation for disputes between parties in the same barangay before filing certain civil/criminal cases in court.