Judiciary Overview and Supreme Court Powers

Judiciary

• A co-equal branch of government, alongside the executive and legislative branches.
• Judicial appointments are recommended by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) to the President.
• The President has significant influence on the JBC and can appoint half of its members.

Judicial Power

• The power to interpret and apply laws in legal disputes.
• This power resides in the Supreme Court and lower courts (Article 8, Section 1).
• Includes the duty of courts to resolve actual controversies.

Supreme Court

• The highest court in the land, appointed by the President.
• Composed of 15 members: a Chief Justice and 14 Associate Justices.
• Requirements for appointment: natural-born citizen, at least 40 years old, judge of a court or practicing lawyer for at least 15 years, proven competence, integrity, probity, and independence (Article 8, Section 7).
• Serve during good behavior until the age of 70.

Powers of the Supreme Court

• Judicial Review: Interprets the Constitution and declares the validity of treaties.
• Original Jurisdiction: Handles cases involving ambassadors, petitions for certiorari, mandamus, quo warranto, and habeas corpus.
• Court of Last Appeal: Reviews judgments of lower courts.
• Appeals for Serious Crimes: Reviews all appeals on sentences of life imprisonment and death.
• Administrative Powers: Temporarily assigns judges, appoints judicial officials and employees, orders change of trial venue, and disciplines lower court judges (potentially ordering dismissal).

Appealable Cases to the Supreme Court

• Cases questioning the validity of laws.
• Cases involving the legality of taxes.
• Cases with jurisdictional concerns.
• Criminal cases involving legal errors.

Philippine Courts (Hierarchy)

• Supreme Court: Highest court, final appeals.
• Court of Appeals: Handles appeals from Regional Trial Courts.
• Regional Trial Courts (RTCs): Try cases and hear appeals from Municipal Trial Courts.
• Municipal Trial Courts (MTCs) / Municipal Circuit Trial Courts (MCTCs):
  • MTCs: A single municipality.
  • MCTCs: Two or more municipalities.

Specialized Courts

• Shari'ah District Courts: Address conflicts among Muslim Filipinos.
• Court of Tax Appeals: Deals with tax appeals by private citizens.
• Sandiganbayan: Anti-graft court handling cases involving government officials.

Specialized Legal Bodies

• Office of the Ombudsman: Investigates graft and corruption by government employees.
• Judicial and Bar Council (JBC): Screens and recommends judicial appointments.