Original and appellate jurisdiction
An original court, or a court of original jurisdiction, is a court that takes cognizance of a case at the first instance. Examples of these are the Municipal Trial Courts (MTCs) or Metropolitan Trial Courts (MetCs) for cases such as forcible entry and unlawful detainer. Regional Trial Courts are also courts of original jurisdiction over certain cases such as those which are incapable of pecuniary estimation.
Appellate courts are those that review the decisions of lower tribunals. RTCs have appellate jurisdiction over MTC decisions; the Court of Appeals (CA) has appellate jurisdiction over RTC decisions on questions of fact and law.
General and special jurisdiction
Courts of general jurisdiction are those that can pass upon any type of controversy that does not come under the exclusive jurisdiction of a court. The RTC is a court of general jurisdiction.
Courts of special jurisdiction pass upon only specific types of cases, such as family cases under the Family Courts or the Court of Tax Appeals.
Constitutional and statutory courts
Constitutional courts are those created by the Constitution while statutory courts are created by law.
The Supreme Court is the only court created by the 1987 Constitution in the Philippines. Section 1 of Article VIII states, "The judicial power shall be vested in one Supreme Court and in such lower courts as may be established by law."
All other courts are created by law, specifically, BP 129 as amended.
Exclusive and concurrent jurisdiction
Certain cases come within the exclusive original jurisdiction of certain courts. For instance, the RTC shall have exclusive original jurisdiction over civil actions in which the subject of litigation is incapable of pecuniary estimation, and cases in which the demand, exclusive of interest and costs or value of property in controversy, amounts to more than Php2,000,000.
There are cases that come within the concurrent original jurisdiction of different courts. This means that these cases may be filed originally in any of these courts. A petition for certiorari under Rule 65 comes within the exclusive original jurisdiction of the Regional Trial Court, Court of Appeals, Sandiganbayan, and Supreme Court.
Courts of law and court of equity
Courts of law are courts that interpret the law and apply these to controversies. Philippines courts are courts of law.
In exceptional situations, when there are no applicable laws, the courts may apply principles of equity. In David Reyes vs. Jose Lim, et al, GR No. 134241, August 11, 2003, the Supreme Court stated: "Equity jurisdiction aims to do complete justice in cases where a court of law is unable to adapt its judgments to the special circumstances of a case because of the inflexibility of its statutory or legal jurisdiction. Equity is the principle by which substantial justice may be attained in cases where the prescribed or customary forms of ordinary law are inadequate."
Principle of judicial hierarchy: general rule and exceptions
Courts have a hierarchy, in which the Supreme Court is the highest, followed by the Court of Appeals, then the Regional Trial Court. The courts at the lowest level are the Municipal Trial Courts, Municipal Circuit Trial Courts, or Metropolitan Trial Courts.
This principle comes into play when there are cases within the concurrent jurisdiction of different courts. The rule is that we have to file the case with the lower court so that courts of the higher levels will not be unduly burdened.
This is what the Supreme Court stated in the case of Gios-Samar, Inc. vs. Department of Transportation and Communications, et al, GR No. 217158, March 12, 2019:
An original court, or a court of original jurisdiction, is a court that takes cognizance of a case at the first instance. Examples of these are the Municipal Trial Courts (MTCs) or Metropolitan Trial Courts (MetCs) for cases such as forcible entry and unlawful detainer. Regional Trial Courts are also courts of original jurisdiction over certain cases such as those which are incapable of pecuniary estimation.
Appellate courts are those that review the decisions of lower tribunals. RTCs have appellate jurisdiction over MTC decisions; the Court of Appeals (CA) has appellate jurisdiction over RTC decisions on questions of fact and law.
General and special jurisdiction
Courts of general jurisdiction are those that can pass upon any type of controversy that does not come under the exclusive jurisdiction of a court. The RTC is a court of general jurisdiction.
Courts of special jurisdiction pass upon only specific types of cases, such as family cases under the Family Courts or the Court of Tax Appeals.
Constitutional and statutory courts
Constitutional courts are those created by the Constitution while statutory courts are created by law.
The Supreme Court is the only court created by the 1987 Constitution in the Philippines. Section 1 of Article VIII states, "The judicial power shall be vested in one Supreme Court and in such lower courts as may be established by law."
All other courts are created by law, specifically, BP 129 as amended.
Exclusive and concurrent jurisdiction
Certain cases come within the exclusive original jurisdiction of certain courts. For instance, the RTC shall have exclusive original jurisdiction over civil actions in which the subject of litigation is incapable of pecuniary estimation, and cases in which the demand, exclusive of interest and costs or value of property in controversy, amounts to more than Php2,000,000.
There are cases that come within the concurrent original jurisdiction of different courts. This means that these cases may be filed originally in any of these courts. A petition for certiorari under Rule 65 comes within the exclusive original jurisdiction of the Regional Trial Court, Court of Appeals, Sandiganbayan, and Supreme Court.
Courts of law and court of equity
Courts of law are courts that interpret the law and apply these to controversies. Philippines courts are courts of law.
In exceptional situations, when there are no applicable laws, the courts may apply principles of equity. In David Reyes vs. Jose Lim, et al, GR No. 134241, August 11, 2003, the Supreme Court stated: "Equity jurisdiction aims to do complete justice in cases where a court of law is unable to adapt its judgments to the special circumstances of a case because of the inflexibility of its statutory or legal jurisdiction. Equity is the principle by which substantial justice may be attained in cases where the prescribed or customary forms of ordinary law are inadequate."
Principle of judicial hierarchy: general rule and exceptions
Courts have a hierarchy, in which the Supreme Court is the highest, followed by the Court of Appeals, then the Regional Trial Court. The courts at the lowest level are the Municipal Trial Courts, Municipal Circuit Trial Courts, or Metropolitan Trial Courts.
This principle comes into play when there are cases within the concurrent jurisdiction of different courts. The rule is that we have to file the case with the lower court so that courts of the higher levels will not be unduly burdened.
This is what the Supreme Court stated in the case of Gios-Samar, Inc. vs. Department of Transportation and Communications, et al, GR No. 217158, March 12, 2019:
x x x This Court's original jurisdiction to issue writs of certiorari (as well as prohibition, mandamus, quo warranto, habeas corpus, and injunction) is not exclusive. It is shared by this Court with Regional Trial Courts (formerly Courts of First Instance), which may issue the writ, enforceable in any part of their respective regions. It is also shared by this Court, and by the Regional Trial Court, with the Court of Appeals (formerly, Intermediate Appellate Court), although prior to the effectivity of Batas Pambansa Bilang 129 on August 14, 1981, the latter's competence to issue the extraordinary writs was restricted to those "in aid of its appellate jurisdiction." This concurrence of jurisdiction is not, however, to be taken as according to parties seeking any of the writs an absolute, unrestrained freedom of choice of the court to which application therefor will be directed. There is after all a hierarchy of courts. That hierarchy is determinative of the venue of appeals, and should also serve as a general determinant of the appropriate forum for petitions for the extraordinary writs. A becoming regard for that judicial hierarchy most certainly indicates that petitions for the issuance of extraordinary writs against first level ("inferior") courts should be filed with the Regional Trial Court, and those against the latter, with the Court of Appeals. A direct invocation of the Supreme Court's original jurisdiction to issue these writs should be allowed only when there are special and important reasons therefor, clearly and specifically set out in the petition. This is established policy. x x x
The Court feels the need to reaffirm that policy at this time, and to enjoin strict adherence thereto in the light of what it perceives to be a growing tendency on the part of litigants and lawyers to have their applications for the so-called extraordinary writs, and sometimes even their appeals, passed upon and adjudicated directly and immediately by the highest tribunal of the land. xxx
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