How to Inquire About Case Status in Philippine Courts

For general information only; not a substitute for legal advice.

Snapshot: Your Options at a Glance

In person: Visit the Office of the Clerk of Court (OCC) or the branch where the case is raffled.
By phone or email: Contact the branch or OCC using official numbers/emails (listed on judiciary websites or posted at courthouses).
Online portals: Some courts maintain public case‐status lookups; availability varies by court and location.
Through counsel: Your lawyer can check the docket, request copies, and receive official notices.
For persons deprived of liberty (PDLs): Coordinate with your counsel and the jail/parole authorities; courts generally communicate with counsel, not directly with detainees’ families.

Know Your Court, Know Your Number

Bring at least one of the following—accuracy here speeds things up:

Docket number format
- Supreme Court: G.R. No. XXXXX, A.C. No., U.D.K. (un-docketed petitions)
- Court of Appeals: CA-G.R. SP/CR/CV No. XXXXX
- Sandiganbayan: SB-CRM-XX-XXXXX (criminal), SB-XX-XXXXX (civil)
- Court of Tax Appeals: CTA Case No. XXXXX or CTA AC/EB/CR No.
- Trial courts (RTC/MeTC/MTC/MCTC): Criminal Case No. / Civil Case No. + Branch number (e.g., RTC Br. 78)
Case title/names of parties (e.g., People v. Juan Dela Cruz)
Nature of case (e.g., Estafa, Unlawful Detainer, Annulment, Petition for Review)
Filing/incident date and court location (city/municipality)

If you don’t know the docket number, give the full names of parties, approximate filing date, and where it was filed. Staff can often search the register using those.

Where Exactly to Ask

A. Supreme Court (SC)

Who to ask: Public Information Office (PIO) for general queries; Judicial Records Office for case records; or the Division/En Banc Clerk of Court.
What you get: Docket status (e.g., pending; referred for study; resolution issued), date of last action, and availability of decisions/resolutions.
Tip: SC posts decisions and resolutions; provide the G.R. No. and the date if known.

B. Court of Appeals (CA)

Who to ask: CA Clerk of Court or the specific division’s rollo custodian.
What you get: Docket status (e.g., case raffled to XX Division; pending for decision; submitted for resolution), last action, scheduled hearings (rare at the CA except for oral arguments).
Tip: Have the CA-G.R. No. and case type (SP/CR/CV) ready.

C. Sandiganbayan

Who to ask: Judicial Records Division or the division where the case is raffled.
What you get: Next setting, pending incidents (e.g., demurrer to evidence), dates of resolutions.
Tip: Provide the SB-CRM or civil case number and the accused’s name.

D. Court of Tax Appeals (CTA)

Who to ask: First/Second Division or En Banc Clerk of Court.
What you get: Status (e.g., submitted for decision), schedule of hearings, dispositive orders.
Tip: Know whether your case is at the Division level or En Banc (on appeal).

E. Regional Trial Courts and First-Level Courts (MeTC/MTC/MCTC)

Who to ask: Branch Clerk of Court (for day-to-day status) or the OCC (for case routing, transfers, or if you don’t know the branch).
What you get: Next hearing date, orders issued, pending motions, whether a decision or writ was released.
Tip: Note the Branch number, case number, and last hearing date.

Step-by-Step: In-Person Inquiry at a Trial Court

Bring IDs and details. Government ID, case number/title, and your relation to the case.
Go to the OCC (ground floor) to confirm the branch and locate the docket.
Proceed to the branch. Ask for the Branch Clerk of Court or a designated staff member.
Request the status. Phrase your ask: “Ma’am/Sir, may I know the latest status of Crim. Case No. 12345, People v. Dela Cruz, RTC Br. XX?”
Request copies (optional). For Orders/Decisions, ask about plain copies vs Certified True Copies (CTC):
- Plain copy: nominal per-page fee.
- CTC: per-page + certification fee; processing time varies.
Record your reference. Note the name of the staff, time, and what was told (e.g., “reset to Oct 28; waiting for accused to be arraigned”).

Step-by-Step: Email/Phone Inquiry

Subject line: “Case Status Inquiry — [Court/Branch], [Case No./Title]”
Identify yourself: Full name, relation (party, counsel, authorized representative, media, academic, public).
State your request: Specific status sought (e.g., “whether a Writ of Execution has been issued”).
Attach authorization (if not a party/counsel): See template below.
Respect office hours and queueing. Responses may come during business hours and in order received.

Email template (copy/paste):

Subject: Case Status Inquiry — RTC [City] Branch [No.] — [Case No./Title]

Good day. I am [Name], [party/relation] in [Case No./Title]. 
May I respectfully ask for the latest status of the case, including any scheduled hearings or recently issued orders/resolutions? 
Details:
• Case No./Title: 
• Parties/Nature:
• Last known action/hearing date: 
• Contact number/email:

If necessary, I can provide ID and additional documents. Thank you.

What You’re Entitled to vs. What May Be Restricted

Generally available:
- Case status (pending/decided; next setting; action on motions)
- Case milestones (raffle, archiving, promulgation dates)
- Copies of public orders and judgments (fees apply)
Restricted or needs authority:
- Full case records (especially in sensitive cases: those involving minors, sexual offenses, adoption, certain family matters, plea-bargaining notes)
- Personal data of parties/witnesses; contact details; medical/psychiatric records
- Sealed/confidential exhibits or in camera proceedings
Who can receive detailed information:
- Counsel of record and parties have priority access.
- Authorized representatives may be asked for a written authority and ID.
- Members of the public can usually obtain high-level status for non-sensitive cases.

Tip: Even when details are restricted, staff can often confirm neutral status (e.g., “submitted for decision” or “reset”) without disclosing sensitive content.

Fees, Receipts, and Timelines

Inquiry: Free.
Plain photocopies: Per-page fee (posted at cashier/branch).
Certified True Copies: Per-page + certification fee; pay at the OCC cashier and present the Official Receipt to the branch.
Processing time: Same-day for short documents; longer for bulky records or when the rollo is archived/off-site.
Transcripts (TSNs): Request from the court stenographer through the branch; separate fees and preparation time apply.

If the Case Was Transferred, Archived, or Dismissed

Transferred to another branch/court: OCC can give the new branch/court and reference number.
Archived: You can ask for unarchiving criteria (e.g., upon arrest of an at-large accused, settlement, or motion).
Dismissed/Decided: Request the Decision/Order and ask about entry of judgment (appellate window may still be open).

Understanding Common Status Phrases

“For raffle” — case is being randomly assigned to a branch/division.
“For pre-trial/arraignment” — initial stages; appearance required.
“Set for hearing on [date]” — evidentiary or incident hearing.
“Submitted for resolution/decision” — pleadings complete; court drafting ruling.
“Promulgation on [date]” — reading of a criminal judgment.
“Entry of Judgment issued” — decision final and executory.
“Writ issued” — e.g., execution, possession, demolition; coordinate with Sheriff’s Office.

Special Tracks

Criminal Cases

Next hearing & custody: Ask about warrant status, arraignment, bail, promulgation, and commitment order details.
If accused is detained: Court coordinates with BJMP/PNP; family should route through counsel for schedules and orders.

Civil & Special Proceedings

Interlocutory orders: You can ask whether pending motions (e.g., to dismiss, to inhibit, for summary judgment) are resolved.
Family/sensitive matters: Expect redactions and identity protection for minors and victims.

Appellate Cases (SC/CA/CTA/SB)

Track milestones: Raffle to Justice/Division, case submitted, oral arguments (if any), decision/resolution date, entry of judgment.
En Banc vs. Division: Clarify level before asking for status/copies.

Practical Etiquette That Helps

Be concise, courteous, and specific about what you need.
Don’t insist on photocopying the whole record; identify the particular order or date range.
Bring small bills for per-page fees and official receipts.
Write down the staff name and timestamp of your inquiry.
If you can’t appear, send an authorization letter with IDs.

Templates

Authorization Letter (Representative)

[Date]

To: Branch Clerk of Court
RTC [City], Branch [No.]

I, [Full Name], a [party/counsel/relation] in [Case No./Title], hereby authorize 
[Representative’s Full Name] to inquire about the status of the case and to request/receive 
plain or certified copies of relevant orders/decisions, and to pay and sign as needed.

Attached are copies of our government IDs.

Signed,
[Signature over Printed Name]

Request for Certified True Copy

[Date]

The Branch Clerk of Court
[Court/Branch]

Re: Request for Certified True Copy — [Case No./Title]

Dear Sir/Madam:

Please issue a certified true copy of the [Decision/Order dated __]. 
I undertake to pay the required fees.

Respectfully,
[Name, relation/contact]

Common Roadblocks (and How to Solve Them)

“No docket number on file.”
- Try alternate spellings, former names, or approximate filing window; ask the OCC for a name-based index search.
“Record is with the judge/typing.”
- Ask for the last action date and next available date to follow up; request a plain copy of the minute order if already released.
“Confidential case.”
- Provide proof of relation/authority; request sanitized status without sensitive details.
“Case transferred/appealed.”
- Get the new docket number and receiving court/division; follow up there.

Frequently Asked Questions

1) Is there a fee just to ask the status? No. Status inquiries are free. Fees apply when you request copies.

2) Can I get updates by phone/email? Often yes, but staff may give only high-level updates and ask you to appear or submit a written request for documents.

3) I lost my decision. Can I get another copy? Yes. Request a plain or certified copy from the branch or OCC. Bring IDs; fees apply.

4) Does the sub judice rule stop me from asking? No—status inquiries are allowed. What’s restricted is public commentary on the merits of pending cases.

5) What if the judge or branch has changed? The OCC tracks reassignments; they can point you to the new branch and confirm continuity of the record.

Final Checklist Before You Go or Write

✔ Case number/title and court/branch
✔ Your government ID (and authorization if not a party/counsel)
✔ Exact document or status you want (e.g., “last order,” “next hearing,” “if decision promulgated”)
✔ Small cash for fees (copies/certification)
✔ Notebook/phone to log staff name, date, and details

Staying organized, asking specifically for what you need, and working through the proper office (OCC or branch) will almost always get you the status you’re after—quickly, politely, and on record.