How to Check Pending Court Cases in the Philippines

A practical-legal guide for lawyers, litigants, employers, journalists, and the simply curious

1. Why “pending-case” checks matter

Employment and business due-diligence
Protecting the constitutional right to know and the open-court principle (1987 Const., Art. III § 7)
Preventing double filing or forum shopping under the Rules of Court
Monitoring one’s own litigation and deadlines

Yet the Philippine Judiciary is still transitioning from paper to full e-courts, so the route you take depends on the court level, the age of the case, and your relationship to it (party, counsel, or stranger).

2. Legal framework for access

Source of the right	Key takeaway
1987 Constitution Art. III § 7	“The right of the people to information on matters of public concern…”
Rule on Access to Information in the Supreme Court (2016)	Lays down forms, fees, and time frames for SC record requests. ([PDF] access-to-information.pdf - Supreme Court of the Philippines)
Rule 135 § 7 & § 16, Rules of Court	Dockets are “public records,” but inspection is subject to the court’s control.
Data Privacy Act of 2012 (R.A. 10173)	Personal data in criminal or family cases are protected; courts may redact or deny.
OCA Circulars on eCourt (e.g., OCA-eCourt-Rep-1-2016; OCA Circular 156-2016)	Direct trial courts to encode all pending cases in the eCourt system. ([[PDF] ~upreme <!Court](https: data-preserve-html-node="true"//oca.judiciary.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/OCA-Circular-No.-156-2016.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com))
A.M. No. 19-10-20-SC (2024) – mandatory e-filing & e-service pilot	Electronic copies become part of the official docket; case status queries will likewise migrate online. ([PDF] 19-10-20-SC.pdf - Supreme Court)

3. Where and how to look

Court level	Public online tool	Who can search	What you need	Alternatives if search fails
Supreme Court	“Home → Case Status” page (sc.judiciary.gov.ph) — search by G.R. number, parties, or filing date. (Home-Case Status – Supreme Court of the Philippines)	Anyone	G.R. number or name of any party	Written request to the SC Public Information Office under the 2016 Rules on Access
Court of Appeals	Case Status Inquiry 3.0 (services.ca.judiciary.gov.ph) – choose Manila/Visayas/Mindanao station. (Case Status Inquiry 3.0)	Anyone	Party name, docket (CA-G.R.) number, or keywords	Visit CA Records Division; ask for a Certificate of Pendency
Sandiganbayan & Court of Tax Appeals	No live docket search.	Parties & counsel only (via email or phone).	Case (SB / CTA) number.	Letter to the Clerk of Court; request inspection under each court’s 2023 “Rule on Access to Information.” ([PDF] Rule_Access_Information.pdf - The Sandiganbayan - Supreme Court)
Trial courts (RTC, MeTC, MTC, MCTC)	eCourt PH terminals (in pilot sites) or lawyer’s portal. Roll-out of eCourt 2.0 began Jan 2025. (SC Trains Pilot Courts on First Prototype of eCourt Version 2.0's ...)	Litigants & counsel (login required)	Case number or full names	Go to the Office of the Clerk of Court; ask to see the docket book; pay ₱50-₱75 certification fee.
Administrative/Quasi-judicial bodies (COMELEC, NLRC, SEC, etc.)	Each has its own e-service portal or bulletin; procedures vary.	Usually parties	Case docket number	FOI request under E-FOI portal if agency is under the Executive branch.

4. Step-by-step for trial-court cases (when no online entry appears)

Identify the court – use the docket prefix (e.g., RTC-QZN-17-00012-CR = QC RTC).
Prepare details – full names of accused/parties, offense or cause, filing date range.
Bring ID & authorization if you are not a party (privacy rules).
Go to the Clerk of Court’s receiving window; ask to check the General Docket Book.
Read or photograph the latest minute orders (allowed unless the judge orders confidentiality).
If you need proof, request either:
- Plain Copy (₱2.00/page);
- Certified True Copy (₱50 first page + ₱5/page); or
- Certificate of Case Status/Pendency (flat ₱200).
For criminal cases you may alternatively request an NBI Clearance; if it shows a “HIT,” proceed to NBI Quality Control for verification.

5. Background-check shortcuts (but with caveats)

Shortcut	What it covers	Limitation
NBI Multi-Purpose Clearance	All criminal complaints filed with DOJ, Ombudsman, and courts	Does not list civil, family, or administrative cases; “HIT” result still requires manual verification.
Philippine National Police (PNP) Certificate of No Pending Case	Criminal complaints in PNP blotter & inquest dockets	Station-specific; not centralized.
Court-clearance certificates (`“No Pending Case”`)	RTC, MeTC, MTC certificates issued per locality	Only states there is no pending case in that station; valid for 30 days; requires community tax cert.

6. Limits and red lines

Sub judice rule – public discussion of merits while case is active may be punishable as indirect contempt.
Privacy & sealed records – family courts, adoption, VAWC, and cases involving minors are automatically confidential under A.M. No. 03-04-04-SC.
Data scraping from judiciary sites is prohibited (Standard Terms of Use + Data Privacy Act).
Forgery – tampering with court certifications violates Art. 171, Revised Penal Code.

7. Trends to watch (2025-2027)

Reform	What it means for case checks
Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027 (SPJI)	All trial courts to migrate to eCourt 2.0; real-time docket access for parties; open-data API for anonymized statistics. (SC Trains Pilot Courts on First Prototype of eCourt Version 2.0's ...)
Mandatory e-filing & e-service (A.M. No. 19-10-20-SC)	Digital filings become authoritative, so electronic docket entries will update instantly. ([PDF] 19-10-20-SC.pdf - Supreme Court)
OCA nationwide encoding directives	Backlog encoding of all pending cases is required; expect older cases to appear online gradually. ([[PDF] ~upreme <!Court](https: data-preserve-html-node="true"//oca.judiciary.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/OCA-Circular-No.-156-2016.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com))

8. Practical checklist

Know the court level (SC, CA, Sandiganbayan, CTA, or trial).
Try the online search first (SC/CA or eCourt login).
If no hit, verify on site at the Clerk of Court.
Ask for a certificate if you need an official paper trail.
Mind privacy and contempt rules when publishing or using the information.

9. Frequently-asked questions

Question	Short answer
Can I check if my prospective employee has a pending civil suit?	Yes, but only by manually searching trial-court dockets; civil suits are not on NBI records.
Do I need a lawyer?	Not for inspection; but only lawyers may obtain certified pleadings without a court order.
How long does the SC or CA online docket update after filing?	Typically within 24 hours after the case is raffled and docketed, but delays occur during system maintenance.
Are eCourt records printable?	Yes for parties; printouts bear a QR code for authentication. Non-parties must still secure certified copies at the clerk’s office.

Key take-away

Pending-case verification in the Philippines is neither fully centralized nor fully paperless—yet.
Start with the Supreme Court or Court of Appeals online portals, rely on eCourt where available, and fall back on the age-old practice of personally checking the docket books and securing official certifications. Reform is accelerating, but for now a thorough check still means combining digital, on-site, and documentary methods.

Updated 30 April 2025