Introduction

The jurisdiction of Philippine courts is primarily governed by the 1987 Constitution, Batas Pambansa Blg. 129 (The Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980), as amended, and various special laws. Jurisdiction refers to the authority of a court to hear and decide cases, encompassing original jurisdiction (where cases are initially filed) and appellate jurisdiction (review of lower court decisions). It is classified into civil, criminal, and administrative matters, and further divided into exclusive, original, concurrent, and appellate categories.

Recent amendments, particularly Republic Act No. 11576 (2021), have updated the jurisdictional thresholds for monetary amounts in civil cases to account for inflation and economic changes, expanding the scope of lower courts to decongest higher tribunals. This outline provides a comprehensive overview of the current jurisdictional framework as of 2025, reflecting these updates and other relevant laws such as the Rules of Court, Republic Act No. 7691 (1994), and specialized statutes for courts like the Sandiganbayan and Court of Tax Appeals.

The Philippine judiciary operates on a hierarchical structure: the Supreme Court at the apex, followed by the Court of Appeals, Regional Trial Courts, and first-level courts (Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts). Special courts handle specific subject matters. Jurisdiction is territorial, subject-matter based, and person-oriented, with venue rules ensuring accessibility and fairness.

Hierarchy of Courts and General Principles

The Philippine court system adheres to the doctrine of hierarchy of courts, where litigants must generally start at the lowest appropriate court and appeal upward, except in cases warranting direct recourse to higher courts (e.g., petitions for certiorari under Rule 65 of the Rules of Court). Key principles include:

Exclusive Jurisdiction: Only a specific court can hear the case.
Original Jurisdiction: Court where the action is first filed.
Appellate Jurisdiction: Power to review decisions from lower courts.
Concurrent Jurisdiction: Multiple courts can hear the same case, with choice often based on hierarchy.
Territorial Jurisdiction: Limited by geographic boundaries, such as regions for Regional Trial Courts or municipalities for Municipal Trial Courts.

Courts also exercise equity jurisdiction, administrative supervision over lower courts (via the Supreme Court), and rulemaking authority. The Supreme Court, as the final arbiter, interprets laws and resolves constitutional questions.

Supreme Court

The Supreme Court (SC) is the highest court, composed of a Chief Justice and 14 Associate Justices, sitting en banc or in divisions. Its jurisdiction is outlined in Article VIII, Section 5 of the 1987 Constitution.

Original Jurisdiction

Exclusive original jurisdiction over:
- Petitions for certiorari, prohibition, mandamus, quo warranto, and habeas corpus.
- Cases involving ambassadors, public ministers, and consuls (concurrent with Regional Trial Courts).
- Petitions for writs of amparo, habeas data, and kalikasan (environmental protection).
Concurrent original jurisdiction with the Court of Appeals and Regional Trial Courts for writs of certiorari, prohibition, and mandamus against lower courts or quasi-judicial bodies.

Appellate Jurisdiction

Exclusive appellate jurisdiction by petition for review on certiorari (Rule 45) over:
- Judgments of the Court of Appeals, Sandiganbayan, Court of Tax Appeals (en banc), and Regional Trial Courts on pure questions of law.
- Final judgments in cases involving the constitutionality or validity of treaties, laws, presidential decrees, or regulations.
- Criminal cases where the penalty is reclusion perpetua or life imprisonment (automatic review if death penalty, though abolished by RA 9346 in 2006).
Review of decisions from the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and Commission on Audit (COA) en banc.

The SC does not try cases de novo but reviews questions of law, with exceptions for factual reviews in special cases (e.g., grave abuse of discretion). It also handles administrative cases against judges and court personnel.

Court of Appeals

The Court of Appeals (CA) consists of 69 Justices divided into 23 divisions, with jurisdiction under BP 129, as amended.

Original Jurisdiction

Exclusive original jurisdiction over actions for annulment of judgments of Regional Trial Courts.
Concurrent with the Supreme Court for writs of certiorari, prohibition, and mandamus against Regional Trial Courts, quasi-judicial agencies (e.g., Civil Service Commission, National Labor Relations Commission), and other bodies.
Concurrent with Supreme Court and Regional Trial Courts for habeas corpus, quo warranto, and writs of amparo and habeas data.

Appellate Jurisdiction

Exclusive appellate jurisdiction by ordinary appeal (notice of appeal) over:
- Final judgments of Regional Trial Courts in civil and criminal cases (except those appealable directly to the Supreme Court or Sandiganbayan).
- Decisions of first-level courts in cases under their appellate jurisdiction.
By petition for review (Rule 42) over decisions of Regional Trial Courts in appellate capacity.
By petition for review (Rule 43) over judgments of quasi-judicial agencies (e.g., Securities and Exchange Commission, Energy Regulatory Commission).

The CA handles a broad range of appeals, including family law cases under the Family Courts Act (RA 8369) and agrarian disputes.

Regional Trial Courts

Regional Trial Courts (RTCs) are second-level courts with branches nationwide, exercising jurisdiction under BP 129, as amended by RA 7691 and RA 11576.

Original Jurisdiction

Exclusive original jurisdiction in civil cases where:
- The subject matter is incapable of pecuniary estimation (e.g., specific performance, annulment of contracts).
- The demand or value exceeds PHP 2,000,000 (outside Metro Manila) or PHP 4,000,000 (in Metro Manila), updated by RA 11576 from previous thresholds of PHP 300,000/PHP 400,000.
- Real property actions where assessed value exceeds PHP 400,000 (outside Metro Manila) or PHP 500,000 (Metro Manila).
- Admiralty and maritime cases exceeding the above thresholds.
- Probate proceedings where gross estate exceeds the thresholds.
In criminal cases: Offenses punishable by imprisonment exceeding 6 years, or fines exceeding PHP 4,000 (except those under first-level courts or Sandiganbayan).
Concurrent with Supreme Court and Court of Appeals for writs of certiorari, etc., against lower courts.
Special jurisdiction as Family Courts (RA 8369) for child-related cases, domestic violence (RA 9262), and adoption.
As Commercial Courts for intellectual property (RA 8293), intra-corporate disputes (RA 11232), and competition cases (RA 10667).
As Drugs Courts for violations of RA 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act).
As Environmental Courts for violations of environmental laws (A.M. No. 09-6-8-SC).

Appellate Jurisdiction

Over decisions of first-level courts (MeTC, MTC, MTCC, MCTC) in their original jurisdiction, via notice of appeal.

RTCs are the workhorses of the judiciary, handling most serious civil and criminal trials.

First-Level Courts

First-level courts include Metropolitan Trial Courts (MeTC in Metro Manila), Municipal Trial Courts in Cities (MTCC), Municipal Trial Courts (MTC), and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts (MCTC). Their jurisdiction was expanded by RA 11576.

Original Jurisdiction

Exclusive original jurisdiction in civil cases where:
- Demand or value does not exceed PHP 2,000,000 (outside Metro Manila) or PHP 4,000,000 (Metro Manila).
- Forcible entry and unlawful detainer (ejectment), regardless of amount.
- Real property actions where assessed value does not exceed PHP 400,000 (outside Metro Manila) or PHP 500,000 (Metro Manila).
- Small claims actions up to PHP 1,000,000 (A.M. No. 08-8-7-SC, as amended).
In criminal cases: Offenses punishable by imprisonment not exceeding 6 years, regardless of fine (except violations of traffic laws, Bouncing Checks Law where fine only, and cases under Sandiganbayan).
Violations of city/municipal ordinances, traffic laws, and Bouncing Checks Law (BP 22) where penalty is imprisonment ≤6 years or fine ≤PHP 4,000.
Summary procedure for certain civil and criminal cases to expedite resolution.

No appellate jurisdiction; their decisions are appealed to RTCs.

Special Courts

Sandiganbayan

Anti-graft court under PD 1606, as amended by RA 8249 and RA 10660.
Exclusive original jurisdiction over graft and corruption cases (RA 3019, RA 1379) involving public officials with salary grade 27 or higher, including presidents, justices, and legislators.
Appellate jurisdiction over RTC decisions in graft cases involving lower officials.
Concurrent with RTC for writs related to its cases.

Court of Tax Appeals (CTA)

Under RA 1125, as amended by RA 9282 and RA 9503.
Exclusive original jurisdiction over tax collection cases ≥PHP 1,000,000.
Appellate jurisdiction over decisions of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Bureau of Customs, local tax assessments, and RTC tax cases.
Sits en banc or in divisions; appeals to Supreme Court on certiorari.

Shari'a Courts

Under PD 1083 (Code of Muslim Personal Laws).
Exclusive jurisdiction over Muslim personal and family laws in Mindanao (e.g., divorce, inheritance for Muslims).
Shari'a District Courts (equivalent to RTC) and Shari'a Circuit Courts (first-level).
Appeals to the Supreme Court via the Court of Appeals in some cases.

Other Specialized Tribunals

Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB): Quasi-judicial for real estate disputes, appeals to CA.
Office of the Ombudsman: Administrative jurisdiction over public officials, with judicial review by CA or SC.
Philippine Competition Commission: Adjudicates anti-trust cases, appeals to CA.

Procedural Aspects and Recent Developments

Jurisdictional rules are complemented by the Rules of Court (as amended, e.g., 2019 Revised Rules on Evidence, A.M. No. 19-08-15-SC on continuous trial). Key updates include:

RA 11576 (2021): Increased monetary thresholds to reduce RTC caseloads, allowing first-level courts to handle higher-value cases.
Efficient Use of Paper Rule (A.M. No. 11-9-4-SC) and e-filing initiatives for jurisdiction in digital age.
Cybercrime Prevention Act (RA 10175): Jurisdiction for cybercrimes vested in RTCs designated as cybercourts.
Terrorism Financing Prevention (RA 10168) and Anti-Terrorism Act (RA 11479)**: Special jurisdiction for designated RTCs.
COVID-19 Adaptations: Temporary rules for online hearings (A.M. No. 20-12-01-SC), not altering core jurisdiction but affecting exercise.

Challenges include case backlog, leading to initiatives like the Justice Sector Reform Program. Jurisdiction can shift via Supreme Court administrative orders, such as designating heinous crime courts.

Conclusion

The jurisdiction of Philippine courts ensures a structured, accessible justice system tailored to case complexity and societal needs. With ongoing reforms, including threshold adjustments and specialization, the framework balances efficiency and fairness. Litigants must carefully determine the proper court to avoid dismissals for lack of jurisdiction, which is not waivable and can be raised at any stage. For specific cases, consultation with legal professionals is essential, as jurisprudence continually refines these outlines through Supreme Court decisions.