Executive Summary

Verifying a Philippine court case number can be done through three primary avenues, often used together:

the judiciary’s eCourt case information system (where deployed), 2) the Office of the Clerk of Court (OCC) of the trial court, and 3) docket/index searches at the branch or appellate court. This article explains each route, typical case-number formats, lawful access limits, practical checklists, and how to obtain certified confirmations.

Why “verification” matters

“Verification” means confirming that a case number actually exists, matches the correct court, branch, parties, case type (civil/criminal/special), and status (pending/decided/archived). It is often required for:

due diligence and KYC/background checks;
confirming where to file pleadings or obtain copies;
confirming if a case has been raffled or consolidated;
securing certified status certificates or certified true copies.

How Philippine case numbers are structured (what you’re looking for)

A. Trial courts (first- and second-level)

Formats vary by station and by whether the court uses eCourt. Expect one or more of the following elements:

Year of filing (e.g., 2024 or 24).
Sequence or Control number (e.g., 01234).
Case type code (e.g., -CV for civil, -CR for criminal; there are other codes for special cases).
Sometimes a station/abbreviation and raffled branch indicator (e.g., Branch 95, QC).
Legacy examples you may encounter:
- Civil Case No. 12345-24 (older/legacy format)
- Criminal Case No. R-QZN-24-01234-CR (eCourt-style alphanumeric with station code)
- Sp. Proc. Case No. 24-00123 (special proceedings)

Tip: If you only know the party names or counsel, you can still locate the case number via eCourt/OCC index searches.

B. Appellate courts

Appellate numbering is distinct from trial courts. Common examples:

Supreme Court (SC): G.R. No. 123456 (or G.R. Nos. for consolidated petitions).
Court of Appeals (CA): usually CA-G.R. SP No., CA-G.R. CR No., or CA-G.R. CV No., depending on the remedy.
Sandiganbayan: SB-YY-CRM-01234 (criminal) and other prefixes for civil/forfeiture.
Court of Tax Appeals (CTA): CTA Case No. XXXX (or CTA EB for en banc review).

Route 1: Verifying via eCourt (where available)

What it is. eCourt is the judiciary’s case management and information system deployed to many trial courts nationwide. Public-facing search typically allows basic lookups (case number or party), while full access remains with the courts.

When it works best.

You know the station/city and approximate year.
The case is recent (filed after the court adopted eCourt).
You can search by party name if the exact case number is unknown.

Typical steps.

Identify the court station (city/province) and the court level (RTC/MTCC/MTC/MeTC).
Use the public eCourt search (or the court’s kiosk/assistance desk) to query by case number or party.
Capture the result: exact case number, case title, nature, raffled branch, and status.
If you need a certified confirmation, proceed to the OCC for an official certificate.

Limitations.

Not all courts are online; some have partial or delayed data.
Sensitive or sealed cases may not appear.
Spelling variants and hyphenation differences can hide results (try alternate spellings).

Route 2: Verifying through the Office of the Clerk of Court (OCC)

What it is. The OCC is the administrative hub of a trial court station. It maintains the docket/index, receives filings, and can issue certifications (e.g., Certificate as to Status of Case).

When it works best.

eCourt shows no hit or the court is not yet on eCourt.
You need a certified document (for bank compliance, corporate filings, immigration, etc.).
You only know party names/counsel, cause of action/offense, and approximate filing date.

Typical steps at an OCC.

Go to the Hall of Justice for the correct city/province and ask for the OCC Records/Docket window.
Provide search details (see checklist below). If unknown, request a name-based index search.
Once the case is found, request either:
- the precise case number; and/or
- a Certificate as to Status of Case (or equivalent).
Pay the applicable fees per the judiciary’s schedule; get an official receipt.
Processing can be same-day for simple verifications; archived files or older cases may take longer.

What a status certification typically states.

Exact case number and case title (e.g., People v. X or A v. B).
Court/Branch and nature (civil/criminal/special).
Status (pending/decided/archived; if decided, a brief note on disposition/date).
Certifying officer, date, and dry seal.

Route 3: Docket and index searches (branch & appellate courts)

Branch level (trial courts).

Each branch maintains a general docket and case index. You can request a search using the party name, counsel, offense/cause, or approximate filing year.
If located, the branch can confirm the exact case number and let you request copies (subject to rules and fees).

Appellate level.

SC, CA, CTA, Sandiganbayan maintain their own dockets and online or on-premise verification desks.
If you already have a trial-court case number, the appellate docket may cross-reference the appellate case number (e.g., CA-G.R. SP No.), which is a different number from the trial-court docket.

Access rights, confidentiality, and compliance

Public access vs. restrictions

Court case information is generally public, except where restricted by law, court rules, or orders (e.g., cases involving children under R.A. 9344, VAWC cases under R.A. 9262, adoption, sexual offenses, violence or privacy-sensitive matters, or sealed/in camera proceedings).
The judiciary is not covered by the Executive FOI order; access is governed by judicial policies and specific court directives.
Even for public cases, personal data is protected. Expect redactions and limits on bulk data.

Data privacy and ethical handling

Observe the Data Privacy Act (R.A. 10173): collect only what you need, store securely, and avoid unnecessary dissemination.
Use verified channels (OCC/eCourt) before relying on third-party databases.

What to bring: a practical checklist

Parties’ names (and variants, e.g., “Ma.” vs “Maria”).
Adverse party (civil) or offense (criminal).
Counsel names (if known).
Approximate filing year and venue (city/province).
IDs/authorization if you are a representative.
Official receipts from prior filings (if any); these sometimes reveal the branch.
Spelling variants and possible maiden/middle names.

How to request a Certificate as to Status of Case (or similar)

Walk-through.

At the OCC or branch, request the form or make a written request.
Provide the case number (if known) or sufficient particulars to locate it.
Pay the certification fee and any copying fees (per page).
Receive the certificate with dry seal, signature, and date.

What makes it official.

Dry seal of the court.
Signature of the Clerk of Court or authorized officer (name and position).
OR number and date of payment.
If a certified true copy of an order/judgment is needed, each page will bear the certification stamp.

Troubleshooting: when you can’t find the number

Court mismatch. Verify if it’s RTC vs. first-level (MeTC/MTC/MTCC/MCTC) and confirm the city/station.
Spelling and hyphenation. Try alternate spellings, nicknames, or reversed party orders (B v. A).
Migration gaps. Older records may not be in eCourt; rely on OCC/branch dockets.
Consolidation/raffle changes. Cases re-raffled or consolidated may carry the lead case number; ask the OCC to trace the history.
Sealed/sensitive. Access may be restricted; inquire about what non-sensitive confirmation can be issued.
Appellate vs. trial confusion. A G.R. or CA-G.R. number is not the same as the trial docket.

Sample request letter (you can adapt)

Date Office of the Clerk of Court [Hall of Justice, City/Province]

Re: Request for Verification/Status of Case

Dear Clerk of Court:

I respectfully request verification of the case number and present status of the following matter: Parties: [A] v. [B] (or People of the Philippines v. [Name]) Nature: [e.g., Sum of Money / Estafa] Approx. Filing Year: [YYYY] Venue: [City/Province] Other Identifiers: [Counsel, prior OR, etc.]

The information will be used for [purpose]. I am enclosing a copy of my ID and authorization (if applicable). Kindly advise the applicable fees for a Certificate as to Status of Case.

Respectfully, [Name, Signature, Contact Details]

Special notes for law offices and corporate compliance

Maintain a names index with variant spellings and middle names to speed up repeats.
When onboarding clients, collect prior case documents/receipts—they often reveal branch/station data.
For due diligence, verify both trial and appellate dockets; some matters jump straight to special civil actions in the CA/SC.
If you will rely on the result in a transaction, obtain a certified status certificate (not just a screenshot/printout).

Frequently asked questions

Q: Is a screenshot of eCourt enough? A: For internal checks, sometimes. For compliance or litigation, get an OCC certificate or a certified true copy.

Q: Can I verify cases filed outside Metro Manila? A: Yes. Use the OCC where the case was filed. eCourt coverage varies; OCC dockets are the authoritative fallback.

Q: If a case is dismissed, can I still get the number? A: Yes. Dismissed/archived cases remain in the docket history; request a status certificate.

Q: Can anyone verify any case? A: Generally yes for non-restricted cases. For sensitive matters (minors/sexual offenses/VAWC/adoption/sealed), access is limited to parties/counsel or by court leave.

One-page workflow (printable)

Identify court level & venue. (RTC vs. MeTC/MTC/MTCC/MCTC; city/province.)
Try eCourt (if deployed) with case number or party name.
No hit? Go to OCC → request docket/index search.
Found it? Record exact case number, branch, status.
Need proof? Request Certificate as to Status of Case or certified true copies.
Edge cases (consolidated, sealed, old): ask OCC to trace history or escalate to the branch.
Store results securely (Data Privacy Act compliance).

Final takeaways

eCourt is the quickest check where available; OCC remains the authoritative route nationwide.
Docket/index searches at the branch and appellate levels complete the picture.
For transactions or court filings, secure certified confirmation, not just an online printout.
Always respect privacy and access restrictions—not every case is open to the public.