Overview
The Philippine judiciary maintains multiple, partly overlapping record-keeping systems, so how you look up a pending case depends on (1) the court level, (2) whether the case is civil, criminal, or special, and (3) the date and place of filing. Knowing the docket prefix (e.g., “Crim. Case No.” for trial courts, “CA-G.R.” for the Court of Appeals, “G.R.” for the Supreme Court) is the single biggest time-saver, but even a party name and approximate venue will do in most portals. (Respicio & Co.)
1. Court hierarchy & where the records live
| Level | Typical prefix | Keeper of record | Public status tools | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First-level (MTC/MeTC/MCTC/MTCC) | Crim./Civil Case No. | Office of the Clerk of Court (OCC) | eCourt kiosks at the courthouse lobby (Metro Manila & major cities) | Manual docket books still coexist with eCourt PH 1.0 |
| Second-level (RTC, Family, Commercial) | Civil Case No. R-QZN-24-00001-CV | OCC-RTC | Same eCourt kiosks; eFiling mandatory for civil cases since Dec 1 2024 | A.M. 10-3-7-SC & 11-9-4-SC (Supreme Court of the Philippines, Inquirer.net) |
| Court of Appeals (CA) | CA-G.R. SP/CV/CR No. | CA Judicial Records Division | Case Status Inquiry 3.0 (Manila, Visayas, Mindanao stations) (services.ca.judiciary.gov.ph) | Search by docket no., party, counsel or keyword |
| Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) | CTA Case No. | CTA Judicial Records Division | Case Status → Search Case / Case History portal (CTA Judiciary) | Shows docket history & uploaded resolutions |
| Sandiganbayan | SB-___-CRM | Sandiganbayan Records Division | Site index & Court Calendar search box (Supreme Court of the Philippines) | No unified portal yet; PDFs of orders/decisions are posted per case |
| Supreme Court (SC) | G.R. No. | SC Judicial Records Office | “Home → Case Status” page (limited), email/phone verification | Decisions are posted; real-time status often obtained by phone/email ● |
2. What you need before you query
- Exact party names (include middle names to avoid homonyms).
- Probable venue or court branch.
- Nature of the action (civil, criminal, special proceeding, tax, graft).
- Date range of filing.
- Any known docket number or Investigating Slip (I.S.) No. for prosecutor-level complaints. (Respicio & Co.)
3. Online portals & how they work
| Portal | How to use | Coverage & limits |
|---|---|---|
| eCourt PH kiosks / JCMS terminals | At the courthouse, type docket no. or party name; print-out costs ₱3–₱5 | Real-time for 327 pilot courts; nationwide roll-out targeted 2027 (SPJI) |
| eFiling e-mail acknowledgement | After Sept 1 2024 every civil pleading must be e-mailed; the auto-reply shows the new docket number | Lets you confirm very recently filed cases even before raffling (Inquirer.net) |
| CA Case Status Inquiry 3.0 | choose station ► enter docket / party ► click Search | Updates nightly; oral argument uploads may lag 2–3 days (services.ca.judiciary.gov.ph) |
| CTA Search Case / Case History | search by docket or text | Shows all pleadings, orders, and decision dates since 2012 (CTA Judiciary) |
| Sandiganbayan Court Calendar | filter by year ► use browser search box | Only the next hearing date; for filings you still e-mail or visit Records Division (Supreme Court of the Philippines) |
| SC “Home–Case Status” | enter G.R. No. or party | Lists division, counsel, and dispositive status, but not hearing resets ● |
Tip: If a portal returns “No record,” try spelling variants (e.g., Dela Cruz vs De la Cruz) or widen the year filter. (Respicio & Co.)
4. In-person & paper-based methods
Walk-in at the OCC / Branch Clerk of Court
- Bring a written request, valid ID, and ₱25-₱50 information fee (Rule 141).
- The clerk checks the docket book or eCourt, then verbally confirms the case number, branch, and status.
- For copies or a “Certificate of Pendency,” pay ₱10 per page + ₱100 certification fee. (Respicio & Co.)
Prosecutor’s Office (pre-filing criminal complaints)
- Ask for the I.S. No. status; certification fee is ₱75 (DOJ Manual).
Freedom of Information (FOI) portal
- File an eFOI request citing Exec. Order 2 (2016) when a remote court refuses to answer.
NBI clearance & warrants
- Useful for convictions and outstanding warrants only; they don’t always flag pending trials.
5. Reading a status entry
| Common label | Meaning |
|---|---|
| “For arraignment” / “For pre-trial” | Case is active; hearing date is set. |
| “Submitted for decision” | Trial done; court drafting judgment (60-90 days). |
| “Archived” | Stalled (e.g., accused at large); can be revived on motion. |
| “Appealed” / “Elevated” | Records transmitted to next-level court. |
| “Promulgated — guilty/acquitted” | Final judgment issued; next step is execution or release. |
Archived cases are still pending unless dismissed with prejudice. For certified copies, quote the entry-of-judgment date to avoid confusion.
6. Special or confidential proceedings
| Case type | Access rule |
|---|---|
| Family courts (adoption, custody, annulment) | Records sealed; only the parties or counsel may verify. |
| Juvenile offenders (RA 9344) | Entire docket sealed; request requires court order. |
| Plea-bargain in plunder / national security | Court may give a simple “Yes/No” without documents. |
7. Typical costs & lead times (trial-court search)
| Service | Metro Manila | Outside NCR | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic docket search | Free – ₱50 | Free – ₱50 | |
| Certification of filing / no filing | ₱150 | ₱100 | |
| Certified true copy, first 5 pp. | ₱110 | ₱90 | |
| Each additional page | ₱10 | ₱10 | |
| Walk-in processing | 30 min – 2 h | 1 – 3 h | |
| Archives retrieval | 1 – 3 d | 2 – 5 d | (Respicio & Co.) |
8. DIY workflow (trial-court example)
- Call the OCC to confirm hours & fees; note the staff’s name.
- Prepare a request letter + photocopy of ID.
- Pay info fee; keep the Official Receipt.
- Clerk searches docket / eCourt; write down the result verbatim.
- Request certified copies if needed; pay per page.
- Negative hit? Consider a Certification of No Record or FOI route.
9. Pitfalls & how to fix them
| Problem | Why it happens | Work-around |
|---|---|---|
| Same-name confusion | “Jose P. Santos” vs “Jose Santos Jr.” | Use middle name, birthdate, or address |
| Case not yet raffled | Clerk encodes only after docket fee payment | Ask for unraffled filings list |
| Spelling variants | eCourt is literal for misspellings | Search creative variants / wildcards |
| Wrong venue | Suit filed where property is, not where parties live | Re-trace cause-of-action venue clause |
10. Data-privacy & ethical guardrails
- Data Privacy Act (RA 10173) — docket data are “personal information”; use it only for legitimate purposes.
- Sub judice rule — public commentary that may influence an active case is contemptuous.
- Lawyer–client privilege — counsel querying on behalf of a client must keep everything confidential.
11. Template: Request for Case Verification
Date: ___________
The Hon. ___________________
Office of the Clerk of Court
Regional Trial Court, __________
Re: Verification of Possible Civil/Criminal Case
Sir/Madam:
Pursuant to Rule 141 and the Supreme Court’s policy on public access
to judicial records, kindly verify whether any case has been filed
against (Name, Birthdate) between January 2023 and May 2025.
If such a case exists, please furnish the docket number and present
status; otherwise, issue a Certification of No Record.
Attached are my government-issued ID and proof of authority.
Very truly yours,
[Signature]12. Coming soon
- eCourt PH 2.0 — full web access and real-time dashboards now in pilot courts; national deployment through 2027. (Inquirer.net, Supreme Court of the Philippines)
- National Justice Information System (NJIS) — integrates police, jail, prosecution, and courts so a single search returns both warrants and pending cases (presently in limited beta).
- SMS/e-mail push — eSubpoena and eSabihan already send lawyers automatic hearing notices; public subscription may follow.
Take-away
Checking the status of a pending case in the Philippines usually starts online (CA, CTA portals, eCourt kiosks) and ends on the ground with the Office of the Clerk of Court for official certification. Have the right identifiers, expect small fees, and mind privacy rules. When in doubt, ask the clerk—they remain the ultimate gatekeepers of the docket. This guide captures the rules and portals as of 27 May 2025; always scan new Supreme Court circulars before relying on any single procedure.