Civil Procedure Rule 44

Ordinary Appealed Cases

PROCEDURE IN THE COURT OF APPEALS
Rule 44
ORDINARY APPEALED CASES
We will now go to Rule 44 which is Procedure in the Court
of Appeals in Ordinary Appealed Cases. This is just the
continuation of Rule 41. When a case is appealed to the CA
under Rule 41, this is ordinary appeal decisions of RTC
pursuant to its original jurisdiction!, so what will happen
here"
Ta#e note that the procedure in the CA is not only found
in the Rules of Court. The $nternal Rules of the CA is found in
its so called Re%ised $nternal Rules of the Court of Appeals
R$RCA!.
&o it is 'est that you go o%er it. (or purposes of the )AR,
hindi na #ailangan yan* There are so+e pro%isions #asi na
wala sa Rules of Court. $ ha%e a copy of that eh,
leather,'ound* $t just so happen that we ha%e an alu+na who
is the head of the Records -i%ision of the CA.
Anyway, ta#e note that under the present rules when the
RTC cler# trans+its the records to the CA, nandoon na ang
doc#et fee. .ow, once original record is there, ne/t is you will
recei%e a notice fro+ the cler# of court that all the records
are there, all the docu+entary e%idence. And you are now
gi%en 40 days to 1le an appellant2s 'rief under &ection 3
which has to 'e answered 'y the appellee under &ection 4.
And the appellant is gi%en the option to 1le an appellant2s
reply 'rief under &ection 5. As to the contents of the
appellant2s 'rief and appellee2s 'rief, you ha%e &ections 16
and 14.
Section 1. Title of cases. In all cases
appeale to t!e Cou"t o# Appeals
une" Rule 41$ t!e title o# t!e case
s!all "e%ain as it &as in t!e cou"t o#
o"i'in$ (ut t!e pa"t) appealin' t!e
case s!all (e #u"t!e" "e#e""e to as t!e
appellant an t!e a*e"se pa"t) as t!e
appellee. +1a$ R4,-
Sec. .. Counsel and guardians. T!e
counsel an 'ua"ians a lite% o# t!e
pa"ties in t!e cou"t o# o"i'in s!all (e
"especti*el) consie"e as t!ei"
counsel an 'ua"ians a lite% in t!e
Cou"t o# Appeals. /!en ot!e"s appea"
o" a"e appointe$ notice t!e"eo# s!all
(e se"*e i%%eiatel) on t!e a*e"se
pa"t) an 0le &it! t!e cou"t. +.a$
R4,-
Sec. 1. Order of transmittal of record.
I# t!e o"i'inal "eco" o" t!e "eco" on
appeal is not t"ans%itte to t!e Cou"t
o# Appeals &it!in t!i"t) +12- a)s a#te"
t!e pe"#ection o# t!e appeal$ eit!e"
pa"t) %a) 0le a %otion &it! t!e t"ial
cou"t$ &it! notice to t!e ot!e"$ #o" t!e
t"ans%ittal o# suc! "eco" o" "eco" on
appeal. +1a$ R4,-
Sec. 4. Docketing of case. Upon
"ecei*in' t!e o"i'inal "eco" o" t!e
"eco" on appeal an t!e
acco%pan)in' ocu%ents an e3!i(its
t"ans%itte () t!e lo&e" cou"t$ as &ell
as t!e p"oo# o# pa)%ent o# t!e oc4et
an ot!e" la&#ul #ees$ t!e cle"4 o#
cou"t o# t!e Cou"t o# Appeals s!all
oc4et t!e case an noti#) t!e pa"ties
t!e"eo#.
/it!in ten +12- a)s #"o% "eceipt
o# sai notice$ t!e appellant$ in
appeals () "eco" on appeal$ s!all 0le
&it! t!e cle"4 o# cou"t se*en +5-
clea"l) le'i(le copies o# t!e app"o*e
"eco" on appeal$ to'et!e" &it! t!e
p"oo# o# se"*ice o# t&o +.- copies
t!e"eo# upon t!e appellee.
An) unaut!o"i6e alte"ation$
o%ission o" aition in t!e app"o*e
"eco" on appeal s!all (e a '"oun #o"
is%issal o# t!e appeal. +n-
Sec. 7. Completion of record. /!e"e
t!e "eco" o# t!e oc4ete case is
inco%plete$ t!e cle"4 o# cou"t o# t!e
Cou"t o# Appeals s!all so in#o"% sai
cou"t an "eco%%en to it %easu"es
necessa") to co%plete t!e "eco". It
s!all (e t!e ut) o# sai cou"t to ta4e
app"op"iate action to&a"s t!e
co%pletion o# t!e "eco" &it!in t!e
s!o"test possi(le ti%e. +n-
Sec. ,. Dispensing with complete
record. /!e"e t!e co%pletion o# t!e
"eco" coul not (e acco%plis!e
&it!in a su8cient pe"io allotte #o"
sai pu"pose ue to insupe"a(le o"
e3t"e%el) i8cult causes$ t!e cou"t$
on its o&n %otion o" on %otion o# an)
o# t!e pa"ties$ %a) ecla"e t!at t!e
"eco" an its acco%pan)in'
t"ansc"ipts an e3!i(its so #a"
a*aila(le a"e su8cient to ecie t!e
issues "aise in t!e appeal$ an s!all
issue an o"e" e3plainin' t!e "easons
#o" suc! ecla"ation. +n-
Sec. 5. Appellants brief. It s!all (e
t!e ut) o# t!e appellant to 0le &it!
t!e cou"t$ &it!in #o"t)90*e +47- a)s
#"o% "eceipt o# t!e notice o# t!e cle"4
t!at all t!e e*ience$ o"al an
ocu%enta")$ a"e attac!e to t!e
"eco"$ se*en +5- copies o# !is le'i(l)
t)pe&"itten$ %i%eo'"ap!e o" p"inte
07
Civil Procedure Rule 44
Ordinary Appealed Cases
("ie#$ &it! p"oo# o# se"*ice o# t&o +.-
copies t!e"eo# upon t!e appellee.
+12a$ R4,-
Sec. :. Appellees brief. /it!in #o"t)9
0*e +47- a)s #"o% "eceipt o# t!e
appellant;s ("ie#$ t!e appellee s!all
0le &it! t!e cou"t se*en +5- copies o#
!is le'i(l) t)pe&"itten$ %i%eo'"ap!e
o" p"inte ("ie#$ &it! p"oo# o# se"*ice
o# t&o +.- copies t!e"eo# upon t!e
appellant. +11a$ R4,-
Sec. <. Appellants reply brief. /it!in
t&ent) +.2- a)s #"o% "eceipt o# t!e
appellee;s ("ie#$ t!e appellant %a) 0le
a "epl) ("ie# ans&e"in' points in t!e
appellee;s ("ie# not co*e"e in !is
%ain ("ie#. +1.$ R4,-
Sec. 12. Time for fling memoranda in
special cases. In ce"tio"a"i$ p"o!i(ition$
%ana%us$ =uo &a""anto an !a(eas
co"pus cases$ t!e pa"ties s!all 0le$ in
lieu o# ("ie#s$ t!ei" "especti*e
%e%o"ana &it!in a non9e3teni(le
pe"io o# t!i"t) +12- a)s #"o% "eceipt
o# t!e notice issue () t!e cle"4 t!at
all t!e e*ience$ o"al an
ocu%enta")$ is al"ea) attac!e to
t!e "eco". +11a$ R4,-
T!e #ailu"e o# t!e appellant to 0le
!is %e%o"anu% &it!in t!e pe"io
t!e"e#o" %a) (e a '"oun #o" is%issal
o# t!e appeal. +n-
Sec. 11. Seeral appellants or
appellees or seeral counsel for each party.
/!e"e t!e"e a"e se*e"al appellants o"
appellees$ eac! counsel "ep"esentin'
one o" %o"e (ut not all o# t!e% s!all
(e se"*e &it! onl) one cop) o# t!e
("ie#s. /!en se*e"al counsel
"ep"esent one appellant o" appellee$
copies o# t!e ("ie# %a) (e se"*e upon
an) o# t!e%. +14a$ R4,-
Sec. 1.. !"tension of time for fling
briefs. E3tension o# ti%e #o" t!e 0lin'
o# ("ie#s &ill not (e allo&e$ e3cept
#o" 'oo an su8cient cause$ an onl)
i# t!e %otion #o" e3tension is 0le
(e#o"e t!e e3pi"ation o# t!e ti%e
sou'!t to (e e3tene. +17$ R4,-
Sec. 11. Contents of appellants brief.
T!e appellant;s ("ie# s!all contain$ in
t!e o"e" !e"ein inicate$ t!e
#ollo&in'>
+a- A su(?ect ine3 o# t!e %atte"
in t!e ("ie# &it! a i'est o# t!e
a"'u%ents an pa'e "e#e"ences$ an a
ta(le o# cases alp!a(eticall) a""an'e$
te3t(oo4s an statutes cite &it!
"e#e"ences to t!e pa'es &!e"e t!e)
a"e cite@
+(- An assi'n%ent o# e""o"s
intene to (e u"'e$ &!ic! e""o"s
s!all (e sepa"atel)$ istinctl) an
concisel) state &it!out "epetition
an nu%(e"e consecuti*el)@
+c- Une" t!e !eain' AState%ent
o# t!e Case$A a clea" an concise
state%ent o# t!e natu"e o# t!e action$
a su%%a") o# t!e p"oceein's$ t!e
appeale "ulin's an o"e"s o# t!e
cou"t$ t!e natu"e o# t!e ?u'%ent an
an) ot!e" %atte"s necessa") to an
une"stanin' o# t!e natu"e o# t!e
cont"o*e"s)$ &it! pa'e "e#e"ences to
t!e "eco"@
+- Une" t!e !eain' AState%ent
o# Facts$A a clea" an concise
state%ent in a na""ati*e #o"% o# t!e
#acts a%itte () (ot! pa"ties an o#
t!ose in cont"o*e"s)$ to'et!e" &it!
t!e su(stance o# t!e p"oo# "elatin'
t!e"eto in su8cient etail to %a4e it
clea"l) intelli'i(le$ &it! pa'e
"e#e"ences to t!e "eco"@
+e- A clea" an concise state%ent
o# t!e issues o# #act o" la& to (e
su(%itte to t!e cou"t #o" its
?u'%ent@
+#- Une" t!e !eain' AA"'u%ent$A
t!e appellant;s a"'u%ents on eac!
assi'n%ent o# e""o" &it! pa'e
"e#e"ences to t!e "eco". T!e
aut!o"ities "elie upon s!all (e cite
() t!e pa'e o# t!e "epo"t at &!ic! t!e
case (e'ins an t!e pa'e o# t!e "epo"t
on &!ic! t!e citation is #oun@
+'- Une" t!e !eain' ARelie#$A a
speci0cation o# t!e o"e" o" ?u'%ent
&!ic! t!e appellant see4s@ an
+!- In cases not ("ou'!t up ()
"eco" on appeal$ t!e appellant;s ("ie#
s!all contain$ as an appeni3$ a cop)
o# t!e ?u'%ent o" 0nal o"e"
appeale #"o%. +1,a$ R4,-
Sec. 14. Contents of appellees brief.
T!e appellee;s ("ie# s!all contain$ in
t!e o"e" !e"ein inicate$ t!e
#ollo&in'>
+a- A su(?ect ine3 o# t!e %atte"
in t!e ("ie# &it! a i'est o# t!e
a"'u%ents an pa'e "e#e"ences$ an a
ta(le o# cases alp!a(eticall) a""an'e$
te3t(oo4s an statutes cite &it!
"e#e"ences to t!e pa'es &!e"e t!e)
a"e cite@
01
Civil Procedure Rule 44
Ordinary Appealed Cases
+(- Une" t!e !eain' AState%ent
o# Facts$A t!e appellee s!all state t!at
!e accepts t!e state%ent o# #acts in
t!e appellant;s ("ie#$ o" une" t!e
!eain' ACounte"9State%ent o# Facts$A
!e s!all point out suc! insu8ciencies
o" inaccu"acies as !e (elie*es e3ist in
t!e appellant;s state%ent o# #acts &it!
"e#e"ences to t!e pa'es o# t!e "eco"
in suppo"t t!e"eo#$ (ut &it!out
"epetition o# %atte"s in t!e
appellant;s state%ent o# #acts@ an
+c- Une" t!e !eain' AA"'u%ent$A
t!e appellee s!all set #o"t! !is
a"'u%ents in t!e case on eac!
assi'n%ent o# e""o" &it! pa'e
"e#e"ences to t!e "eco". T!e
aut!o"ities "elie on s!all (e cite ()
t!e pa'e o# t!e "epo"t at &!ic! t!e
case (e'ins an t!e pa'e o# t!e "epo"t
on &!ic! t!e citation is #oun. +15a$
R4,-
This is li#e a thesis or writing a 'oo# 8 Appellant2s and
appellee2s 'rief.
9: What is a 'rief" What is its purpose"
A: The word ;)R$<(= is deri%ed fro+ the >atin word
;)R<?$&= #A$D %&'TT(!AD) and the (rench word ;)R<($<=,
and literally +eans a short or condensed state+ent. $ts
purpose is to present to the court in concise for+ the points
and @uestions in contro%ersy, and 'y fair argu+ent on the
facts and law of the case, to assist the court to arri%e at a
just and fair conclusion. $t should 'e prepared as to +ini+iAe
the la'or of the court in the e/a+ination of the record upon
which the appeal is heard. <sti%a %s. Cawit, 05 Phil. B3C
Casilan %s. Cha%eA, >,13664, (e'. D4, 15BD!
&o you su++ariAe the case, facts, issues, argu+ents,
discussions, citations of laws. &o its li#e a de'ate no"
Alright. The 'est 'rief writers $ noticed are those in the
&olicitor Eeneral2s oFce. Gust i+agine, the &olicitor Eeneral
defends all the cases of the go%ern+ent. When a cri+inal
case is appealed 'y the accused to the CA or CA,
auto+atically the &olicitor Eeneral ta#es o%er. $n the lower
court, it is the 1scals Hno"
&o, the &olicitor Eeneral defends the case he had ne%er
tried. &o they just 'ased it on records. They condensed
decisions #ahit na gaano ang #apal, reducing it to 10 pages
or less. $ts really an a'ility to do it. The shorter the 'etter.
People there in the &olicitor Eeneral2s oFce are really good
writers and researchers 'ecause that is the law oFce of the
Repu'lic of the Philippines. >ahat dyan +agagaling, isa lang
ang hindi +arunong. &$.O" Ang &olicitor Eeneral ninyo* Ie is
only a political appointee. (. Cha%eA" Or Eal%eA"!
9: $s the 40,day period to 1le 'rief e/tendi'le"
A: J<&, that is section 1D. The worst %iolator here is the
&olicitor Eeneral 8 e/tension 67 days, Dnd e/tension 67 days*
Eanyan sila* &o+eti+es it ta#es the+ 14 +onths to prepare
a 'rief. &a'agay, +ara+i din #asi silang tra'aho Hno"
9: When do you 1le the +otion for e/tension of ti+e to
1le 'rief"
A: The +otion for e/tension of ti+e is 1led )<(OR< the
e/piration of the ti+e sought to 'e e/tended. &ection 1D!
)KT so+eti+es the &C can 'e li'eral a'out e/tension. One
case is
BOSCO/SCY s. COURT OF APPEALS
.12 SCRA ,75
FACTS: The CA here granted the appellant
a period of 57 days counted fro+ August 6,
1551. &o after the 40 days plus 57 days pa fro+
August 6, 1551. &aid 57,day period ended on
.o%e+'er 1, 1551. On .o%e+'er 4, 1551, or 6
days after the e/tended period, instead of 1ling
a 'rief, appellant 1led another +otion for a D7,
day e/tension.
ISSUE D1: Was the +otion for e/tension
1led on ti+e 'ased on &ection 1D"
HELD: J<&. ;&aid ninety,day period would
end on .o%e+'er 1, 1551. .o%e+'er 1 is a
regular holiday. Then President A@uino declared
.o%e+'er D, 1551 as a special holiday. The
ne/t day, .o%e+'er 6, 1551 turned out to 'e a
&unday. The ne/t 'usiness day was, therefore,
.o%e+'er 4, 1551 , a Londay.=
;The a'o%e+entioned +otion was,
therefore, 1led on ti+e, i.e., the +otion for the
e/tension sought was 1led 'efore the e/piration
of the ti+e sought to 'e e/tended.=
ISSUE D.: When do you co+pute the D7,
day e/tension 'eing as#ed for" $s it on
.o%e+'er 1, the e/piration of the period" Or on
.o%e+'er 4, the day of the 1ling of the +otion"
HELD: ;The appellant speci1cally
+anifested that they will need another
e/tension fro+ today .o%e+'er 4! within
which to 1le appellant2s 'rief, and Htoday2 is
.o%e+'er 4. &o, the period co++ences to run
on .o%e+'er 4.= &o %ery li'eral no"
Ta#e note of &ection 10 8 what @uestions +ay an
appellant raise on appeal:
Sec. 17. *uestions that may be raised
on appeal. /!et!e" o" not t!e appellant
!as 0le a %otion #o" ne& t"ial in t!e
cou"t (elo&$ !e %a) inclue in !is
assi'n%ent o# e""o"s an) =uestion o#
la& o" #act t!at !as (een "aise in t!e
cou"t (elo& an &!ic! is &it!in t!e
issues #"a%e () t!e pa"ties. +1:$ R4,-
0D
Civil Procedure Rule 44
Ordinary Appealed Cases
&o the appellant cannot raise 'efore the CA on appeal
any @uestion of law or fact that has not 'een raised in the
lower court and not within the issues fra+ed 'y the parties.
Ie cannot, for the 1rst ti+e on appeal, say so+ething which
was not raised in the trial court. Another thing is, he cannot
change his theory on appeal, either theory on the cause of
action or theory on the defense.
.ow, so+eti+es it is easy to detect whether there is
change of theory. The only possi'le e/ception +ay'e is when
you raise for the 1rst ti+e on appeal so+ething which you
ne%er raised as in lac# of jurisdiction unless estoppel will set
in as in the case of T+,A- s. S+%O$.(A$O/. $llustrating this
point is the case of
RIEERA s. COURT OF APPEALS
15, SCRA 1,< F1<:<G
FACTS: The spouses LartineA sold their
house and lot to Ri%era. >ater, they 1led a
co+plaint against Ri%era declaring the sale as
null and %oid on the ground that the sale is a
+ortgage. The court dis+issed the co+plaint.
&o the ruling of the trial court was that the sale
was %alid. )ut on the CA, LartineA spouses
prayed that they +ay'e allowed to redee+ the
property.
The CA re%ersed the trial court and allowed
LartineA spouses to redee+ the property. .ow,
Ri%era appealed to the CA, contending that
LartineA change the theory of their case
'ecause in the original co+plaint the latter
prayed for the annul+ent of the sale, and in the
CA they prayed that they 'e allowed to redee+
the property.
ISSUE: Was there a change of theory of the
LartineA spouses"
HELD: There was .O CIA.E< of theory.
There was no surprise against Ri%era or to the
CA. The real purpose of the LartineA spouses in
as#ing for the nullity of the contract is to ena'le
the+ to reco%er the property fro+ Ri%era.
;Prescinding fro+ those allegations and
fro+ the prayer all clearly set out in the
co+plaint, it is fair to conclude that the real
purpose in as#ing for the nullity of the contract
of sale is to ena'le the LartineA spouses to
reco%er or redee+ the property they deeded in
fa%or of Ri%era. $t would 'e a'surd to pray for
the nullity of an agree+ent and stop there.
There would 'e a %acuu+ and the law, li#e
nature, a'hors a %acuu+.=
;$n the CA, they persisted in their clai+ to
entitle+ent of the right to reco%er, redee+, or
repurchase. This agree+ent can not 'e
construed as change of theoryC it is persistence,
plain and si+ple. $t does not lea%e any
interstice in the entire theory of the case.
Consistency in the position of the pri%ate
respondents runs throughout the presentation
of their clai+.=
&o a#ala +o +ay change of theory, yun pala wala* Why
are they annulling" To reco%er their property. $n other words
there was no change of theory.
9: $s the appellee re@uired to +a#e assign+ent of
errors"
A: The APP<>><< is not re@uired to +a#e assign+ent of
errors, e/cept when his purpose is to see# aFr+ation of the
judg+ent on other grounds or reasons not stated in the
decision. &aenA %s. Litchell, B7 Phil. B5C Eorospe %s.
PeMaNorida, 171 Phil. 44BC -y %s. Ouison, >,1BB04, .o%. 67,
15B1!
9: $f the appellee see#s +odi1cation of the judg+ent, is
it enough for hi+ to +a#e assign+ent of errors"
A: $n such a case, the appellee +ust appealC an
assign+ent of error is not enough. O@uiMena %s. Canda, 43
Phiil. 1D7C Eorospe %s. PeMaNorida, supraC -y %s. Ouison,
supra!
E<.<RA> RK><: $f you are the winning party, you +ay
appeal the decision if you thin# you are entitled for +ore. &o,
you +ust appeal. Jou cannot just state of errors in the
appellee2s 'rief.
<PC<PT$O.: Jou +ay state assign+ent of errors to
support the decision 8 to support, not to change, the
decision. $f you want to change the decision, you appeal
general rule!.
,oOo,
06