Rule 73 Venue & Process
Rule 73 Venue & Process
Rule 73 Venue & Process
*Residence – means his personal, actual or physical habitation, his actual residence
or place of abode. (Fule vs. CA, L-40502, Nov. 29, 1976)
EXTENT OF JURISDICTION
Probate courts are courts of LIMITED jurisdiction. It may only determine and rule upon
issues relating to the settlement of the estate, namely:
1. administration of the estate;
2. liquidation of the estate; and
3. distribution of the estate.
EXCEPTIONS:
The court first taking cognizance of the settlement of the estate of the decedent, shall
exercise jurisdiction to the exclusion of all other courts.
The probate court acquires jurisdiction from the moment the petition for the settlement is
filed with said court. It cannot be divested of such jurisdiction by the subsequent acts of
the parties as by entering into extrajudicial partition of the estate (Sandoval vs. Santiago,
88 PHIL 784); or filing another petition for settlement in a proper court of concurrent
venue (De Boria vs. Tan, 77 Phil 872).
EXCEPTION:
Estoppel by LACHES
* Jurisdiction under Rule 73 Sec. 1 does NOT relate to jurisdiction per se but to venue.
Hence, institution in the court where the decedent is neither an inhabitant or have his
estate may be waived. (Uriarte vs. CFI, L-21938-39, May 29, 1970)
* Improper venue must be seasonably raised. (Eusebio v. Eusebio, 100 PHIL 593)
Reason: its orders usually refer to the adjudication of claims against the estate which the
executor/administrator may satisfy without the need of executory process.
1. To satisfy the contributive share of the devisees, legatees and heirs when the latter
had entered prior possession over the estate. (Sec. 6, Rule 88)
2. To enforce payment of the expenses of partition. (Sec. 3, Rule 90)
Upon the death of either the husband or the wife, the partnership affairs must be
liquidated in the testate or intestate proceedings of the deceased husband or wife. If both
have died, liquidation may be made in the testate or intestate proceedings of either.
BAR QUESTIONS
2005
b) A petition for the appointment of an administrator over the land and building left
by an American citizen residing in California, who had been declared an
incompetent by an American court. c)
2009
Frank and Gina were married on June 12, 1987 in Manila. Barely a year after the
wedding, Frank exhibited a violent temperament, forcing Gina, for reasons of personal
safety, to live with her parents. A year thereafter, Gina found employment as a domestic
helper in Singapore, where she worked for ten consecutive years. All the time she was
abroad, Gina had absolutely no communications with Frank, nor did she hear any news
about him. While in Singapore, Gina met and fell in love with Willie.
On July 4, 2007, Gina filed a petition with the RTC of Manila to declare Frank
presumptively dead, so that she could marry Willie. The RTC granted Gina's petition.
The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) filed a Notice of Appeal with the RTC, stating
that it was appealing the decision to the Court of Appeals on questions of fact and law.