Philippine Judiciary System

Metropolitan Trial Courts

• Also known as Municipal Trial Courts in cities and towns within the Metropolitan Manila area
• Have jurisdiction over all violations of city or municipal ordinances
• Handle offenses punishable with imprisonment of not exceeding six years
• Handle offenses involving damage to property through criminal negligence
• Handle cases with a fine of not more than Php 4,000.00

Court of Tax Appeals (CTA)

• Has exclusive original jurisdiction over all criminal cases arising from violations of the National Internal Revenue Code or Tariff and Customs Code
• Created under RA 1125
• Composed of a Presiding Justice and five Associate Justices
• May sit en banc or in two divisions

Sandiganbayan

• Tasked to handle criminal cases involving graft and corruption and other offenses committed by high-ranking public officers and employees
• Created pursuant to PD 1606
• Composed of a Presiding Justice and 14 Associate Justices

Family Courts

• Created pursuant to RA 8369
• Special courts that handle family-related cases

Special Courts

• Court of Tax Appeals
• Sandiganbayan
• Shari'a District Courts
• Family Courts

Supreme Court

• The highest court in the Philippines
• Shall have appellate jurisdiction over cases decided by the Court of Appeals
• Composed of a Chief Justice and 14 Associate Justices
• Has the power of judicial review
• Has the power to discipline judges of the lower courts
• First Chief Justice: Cayetano Arellano

Court of Appeals

• Composed of a Presiding Justice and 68 Associate Justices
• Shall sit in 23 divisions of 3 justices each
• Has appellate jurisdiction over cases decided by the RTC

Regional Trial Courts (RTC)

• Presided by 720 Regional Trial Judges in each of the 13 regions of the country
• Has jurisdiction over offenses punishable with imprisonment of more than six years
• Has jurisdiction over cases with a fine exceeding Php 4,000.00
• Has appellate jurisdiction over cases decided by the MTCs, MTC, and MCTC
• Handles violations of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs of 2002
• Handles violations of RA 9262
• Handles violations of the Omnibus Election Code

Municipal Trial Courts (MTC)

• Referred to as MTC if it covers only one municipality
• Referred to as Municipal Circuit Trial Court if it covers two or more municipalities

Court Room Work Group

• Judge: pronounces judgments and sentences
• Court Clerks: maintain court records, prepare daily calendars, call cases before the judge, control evidence in court, and collect fines and court costs
• Court Stenographer: reports and records everything said in court
• Court Interpreter: carries out oral translation from one language to another
• Bailiffs: maintain order in the court, announce judge entry into the courtroom, call witnesses, control defendants, and supervise juries

Powers of the Court

• Power of Judicial Review: the duty of the court to settle actual controversies, interpret the Constitution, and declare any legislative or executive act as unconstitutional