Section 19. Jurisdiction in civil cases.

— Regional Trial Courts shall exercise exclusive original

(1) In all civil actions in which the subject of the litigation is incapable of pecuniary
estimation;

(2) In all civil actions which involve the title to, or possession of, real property, or any
interest therein, where the assessed value of the property involved exceeds Twenty
thousand pesos (P20,000.00) or for civil actions in Metro Manila, where such the value
exceeds Fifty thousand pesos (50,000.00) except actions for forcible entry into and
unlawful detainer of lands or buildings, original jurisdiction over which is conferred
upon Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial
Courts;

(3) In all actions in admiralty and maritime jurisdiction where he demand or claim
exceeds One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) or , in Metro Manila, where such
demand or claim exceeds Two hundred thousand pesos (200,000.00);

(4) In all matters of probate, both testate and intestate, where the gross value of the
estate exceeds One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) or, in probate matters in
Metro Manila, where such gross value exceeds Two hundred thousand pesos
(200,000.00);

(5) In all actions involving the contract of marriage and marital relations;

(6) In all cases not within the exclusive jurisdiction of any court, tribunal, person or
body exercising jurisdiction or any court, tribunal, person or body exercising judicial or
quasi-judicial functions;

(7) In all civil actions and special proceedings falling within the exclusive original
jurisdiction of a Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court and of the Courts of Agrarian
Relations as now provided by law; and

(8) In all other cases in which the demand, exclusive of interest, damages of whatever
kind, attorney's fees, litigation expenses, and costs or the value of the property in
controversy exceeds One hundred thousand pesos (100,000.00) or, in such other
abovementioned items exceeds Two hundred thousand pesos (200,000.00). (as
amended by R.A. No. 7691*)

Section 20. Jurisdiction in criminal cases. — Regional Trial Courts shall exercise exclusive original
jurisdiction in all criminal cases not within the exclusive jurisdiction of any court, tribunal or body,
except those now falling under the exclusive and concurrent jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan which
shall hereafter be exclusively taken cognizance of by the latter.

Section 21. Original jurisdiction in other cases. — Regional Trial Courts shall exercise original
jurisdiction:
 (1) In the issuance of writs of certiorari, prohibition, mandamus, quo warranto, habeas
corpus and injunction which may be enforced in any part of their respective regions;
and

(2) In actions affecting ambassadors and other public ministers and consuls.

Section 22. Appellate jurisdiction. — Regional Trial Courts shall exercise appellate jurisdiction over
all cases decided by Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial
Courts in their respective territorial jurisdictions. Such cases shall be decided on the basis of the
entire record of the proceedings had in the court of origin and such memoranda and/or briefs as may
be submitted by the parties or required by the Regional Trial Courts. The decision of the Regional
Trial Courts in such cases shall be appealable by petition for review to the

Court of Appeals which may give it due course only when the petition shows prima facie that the
lower court has committed an error of fact or law that will warrant a reversal or modification of the
decision or judgment sought to be reviewed.

Section 23. Special jurisdiction to try special cases. — The Supreme Court may designate certain
branches of the Regional Trial Courts to handle exclusively criminal cases, juvenile and domestic
relations cases, agrarian cases, urban land reform cases which do not fall under the jurisdiction of
quasi-judicial bodies and agencies, and/or such other special cases as the Supreme Court may
determine in the interest of a speedy and efficient administration of justice.

Section 24. Special Rules of Procedure. — Whenever a Regional Trial Court takes cognizance of
juvenile and domestic relation cases and/or agrarian cases, the special rules of procedure applicable
under present laws to such cases shall continue to be applied, unless subsequently amended by law
or by rules of court promulgated by the Supreme Court.

Section 32. Jurisdiction of Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts and Municipal Circuit
Trial Courts in criminal cases. — Except in cases falling within the exclusive original jurisdiction of
Regional Trial Courts and of the Sandiganbayan, the Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial
Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts shall exercise:

(1) Exclusive original jurisdiction over all violations of city or municipal ordinances
committed within their respective territorial jurisdiction; and

(2) Exclusive original jurisdiction over all offenses punishable with imprisonment not
exceeding six (6) years irrespective of the amount of fine, and regardless of other
imposable accessory or other penalties, including the civil liability arising from such
offenses or predicated thereon, irrespective of kind, nature, value, or amount thereof:
Provided, however, That in offenses involving damage to property through criminal
negligence they shall have exclusive original jurisdiction thereof. (as amended by R.A,
No. 7691)

Section 33. Jurisdiction of Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts and Municipal Circuit
Trial Courts in civil cases. — Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit
Trial Courts shall exercise:
 (1) Exclusive original jurisdiction over civil actions and probate proceedings, testate
and intestate, including the grant of provisional remedies in proper cases, where the
value of the personal property, estate, or amount of the demand does not exceed One
hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) or, in Metro Manila where such personal
property, estate, or amount of the demand does not exceed Two hundred thousand
pesos (P200,000.00) exclusive of interest damages of whatever kind, attorney's fees,
litigation expenses, and costs, the amount of which must be specifically alleged:
Provided, That where there are several claims or causes of action between the same
or different parties, embodied in the same complaint, the amount of the demand shall
be the totality of the claims in all the causes of action, irrespective of whether the
causes of action arose out of the same or different transactions;

(2) Exclusive original jurisdiction over cases of forcible entry and unlawful detainer:
Provided, That when, in such cases, the defendant raises the question of ownership in
his pleadings and the question of possession cannot be resolved without deciding the
issue of ownership, the issue of ownership shall be resolved only to determine the
issue of possession.

(3) Exclusive original jurisdiction in all civil actions which involve title to, or possession
of, real property, or any interest therein where the assessed value of the property or
interest therein does not exceed Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000.00) or, in civil
actions in Metro Manila, where such assessed value does not exceed Fifty thousand
pesos (P50,000.00) exclusive of interest, damages of whatever kind, attorney's fees,
litigation expenses and costs: Provided, That value of such property shall be
determined by the assessed value of the adjacent lots. (as amended by R.A. No.
7691)

Section 34. Delegated jurisdiction in cadastral and land registration cases. — Metropolitan Trial
Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts may be assigned by the Supreme
Court to hear and determine cadastral or land registration cases covering lots where there is no
controversy or opposition, or contested lots the where the value of which does not exceed One
hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00), such value to be ascertained by the affidavit of the claimant
or by agreement of the respective claimants if there are more than one, or from the corresponding
tax declaration of the real property. Their decisions in these cases shall be appealable in the same
manner as decisions of the Regional Trial Courts. (as amended by R.A. No. 7691)

Section 35. Special jurisdiction in certain cases. — In the absence of all the Regional Trial Judges in
a province or city, any Metropolitan Trial Judge, Municipal Trial Judge, Municipal Circuit Trial Judge
may hear and decide petitions for a writ of habeas corpus or applications for bail in criminal cases in
the province or city where the absent Regional Trial Judges sit.

Section 36. Summary procedures in special cases. — In Metropolitan Trial Courts and Municipal
Trial Courts with at least two branches, the Supreme Court may designate one or more branches
thereof to try exclusively forcible entry and unlawful detainer cases, those involving violations of
traffic laws, rules and regulations, violations of the rental law, and such other cases requiring
summary disposition as the Supreme Court may determine. The Supreme Court shall adopt special
rules or procedures applicable to such cases in order to achieve an expeditious and inexpensive
determination thereof without regard to technical rules. Such simplified procedures may provide that
affidavits and counter-affidavits may be admitted in lieu of oral testimony and that the periods for
filing pleadings shall be non-extendible.