OUTLINE:

JURISDICTION OF FIRST LEVEL COURTS (Metropolitan Trial Courts (MeTC), Municipal Trial Courts in Cities (MTCC),
Municipal Trial Courts (MTC), and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts (MCTC)
*Metropolitan Trial Courts – court/s in the metropolitan (Metro Manila) or other metropolitan areas as established by law
*Mun Trial Courts in Cities – court/s in every city which does not form part of a metropolitan area
*Mun Circuit Trial Court – court/s in municipal circuit (organized under AO 33 by the Supreme Court) or which comprises
one or more municipalities
I. EXCLUSIVE AND ORIGINAL JURISDICTION OF THE MTC
Innayun ko lang ading pagbase’k nu discussion.
BP 129 RA 7691 RA 11576
MeTC Criminal: Criminal: Civil:
MTCC - All violations of city/ - All violations of city/ - Civil actions
MTC municipal municipal ordinances - Probate proceedings
MCTC ordinances within within their territorial - Testate and intestate
their territorial jurisdiction. - Grant of provisional
jurisdiction. - All offenses punishable remedies
- All offenses with imprisonment not - Forcible entry
punichasble with exceeding 6 years - Unlawful Detainer
imprisonment not regardless of other
exceeding 4 years imposable fine/ penalties. Value not exceeding
and 2 months ar a - RIR DP P2,000,000 (even in cases
fine not exceeding on several claims in the
P4,000, regardless Civil: same complaints)
of other imposable - Civil actions
penalties. - Probate proceedings - All civil actions which
- RIR DP where the - Testate and intestate involves title to, or
fine does not - Grant of provisional possession of, real
exceed P20,000 remedies property, or any interest
- Forcible entry therein where the
Civil: - Unlawful Detainer assessed value does not
- Civil actions exceed P400,000
- Probate Value not exceeding
proceedings P300,000, or P400,000 in - Admiralty and maritime
- Testate and Metro Manila (even in actions where the demand
intestate cases on several claims in does not exceed
- Grant of provisional the same complaints) P2,000,000
remedies
- Forcible entry - All civil actions which
- Unlawful Detainer involves title to, or
possession of, real
Value not exceeding property, or any interest
P20,000 (even in therein where the
cases on several assessed value does not
claims in the same exceed P20,000, or
complaints) P50,000 in Metro Manila

Inclusive: Damages of Exclusive: Exclusive:

whatever kind. - Interest Included in - Interest Included in
- Damages of the - Damages of the
Exclusive:Interest whatever kind determination whatever kind determination
- Atty’s fees of filing fees Note: Admin Circular 09-94, this is of filing fees
- Litigation excluded where the damages prayed
for are merely incidental or
expenses consequence of the main cause of
- Costs action, otherwise, it is included in
determining jurisdictional amount.

- Atty’s fees
- Litigation
expenses
- Costs
II. DELEGATED JURISDICTION
BP 129 RA 7691 RA 11576
MeTC - Cadastral or land - Cadastral and land The SC may adjust the
MTC registration cases with no registration cases with no jurisdictional amount/
MCTC controversy or opposition controversy or opposition threshold for 1st and 2nd
and which value does not and which value does not level courts to:
exceed P20,000 exceed P100,000 1) Reflect the extraordinary
(appealable to CA) intervening inflation or
deflation of currency
2) Reflect change in the
land valuation
3) Maintain proportion of
caseload b/n 1st and 2nd
level courts.

III. MTC AS PROBATE COURT

Where the gross value of the estate does not exceed P2,000,000

IV. The determination of the jurisdiction of the MTC is the jurisdictional amount.
-personal property
-estate
-amount of the demand

V. Basis of jurisdictional amount in real property

*Assessed value of the property alleged in the complaint
*Estimated value and interest therein alleged in the complaint
*Type of relief prayed for
*Law in effect when action is filed
*If assessed value is not alleged, dismissed for lack of jurisdiction. If in case the value is not declared for
taxation purposed, it is determined by the assessed value of adjacent lot.
 *Non-inclusion of assessed value in the complaint not fatal, it Tax Dec showing assessed value is attached in
the complaint.

VI. Laws Enacted to Expand the Jurisdiction of the First Level Courts

II.A In April 15, 1994, R.A 7691 (An Act Expanding the Jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Trial Courts,
Municipal Circuit Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, Amending the BP Blg 129, Otherwise Known as the
“Judiciary Reorganization of 1980”) took effect.

Sec. 5 of RA 7691 provides for the adjustments of the jurisdictional amounts. Per OCA Circular No. 21-99 (April
15, 1999), the adjustments took effect on March 20, 1999 and five (5) years thereafter

II.B In August 21, 2021, R.A 11576 entitled an “Act Further Expanding the Jurisdiction of the
Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts in Cities, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial
Courts, Amending for the purpose Batas Pambansa Big. 129, Otherwise known as "The Judiciary
Reorganization Act of 1980," took effect.

II.C EXPANDED JURISDICTION OF THE FIRST LEVEL COURTS IN CIVIL CASES (MeTCs, MTCCs, MTCs,
and MCTCs

JURISDICTIO
B.P. 129, as amended by R.A. 7691 R.A. 11576
N

1. Actions involving personal property

2. Actions demanding sums of Money
ORIGINAL
3. Probate Proceedings (testate or intestate)
EXCLUSIVE
depending on the value of the personal property, estate, or amount of the demand
The value of the personal property, estate, or
amount of the demand does not exceed The value of the personal property, estate, or
P300,000.00 or, in MM, does not exceed amount of the demand does not exceed
P400,000.00 exclusive of interest, damages of P2,000,000.00 exclusive of  interest, damages of
whatever kind, attorney’s fees, litigation whatever kind, attorney’s fees, litigation
expenses, and costs, the amount of which must expenses, and costs, the amount of which must
be specifically alleged be specifically alleged.

4. Admiralty or Maritime Claims

depending on the amount of claim or demand

Maritime claims where the demand or claim

In admiralty and maritime actions where the
does not exceed Php 300,000 or, in Metro
demand or claim does not exceed 2,000,000.00
Manila Php 400,000

5. Actions involving title to, or possession

of real property, or any interest therein, depending on the
assessed value of the property involved

The assessed value of the property or interest The assessed value of the property or interest
therein does not exceed P20,000.00 or, in MM, therein does not exceed P400,000.00 exclusive
does not exceed P50,000.00 exclusive of of exclusive of interest, damages of whatever
interest, damages of whatever kind, attorney’s kind, attorney’s fees, litigation expenses, and
fees, litigation expenses, and costs. costs.
 II. D The jurisdictional amount does not include the following:
a. Interests;
b. Damages of whatever kind;
c. Attorney’s fees
d. Litigation expenses;
e. Costs
Note: Exclusion of damages of whatever kind is *not* absolute.

II.E Totality Rule

- Total amount of the claims shall be the basis of the court’s jurisdiction and not the amount of the individual
claims
- Irrespective whether they arose from the same or different transactions.
- Presupposes that these claims are allowed to be in the same complaint or accrues in favor of same plaintiff
and against the same defendant (Section 6 of Rule 3 “Permissive Joinder of Parties”; Section 5 of Rule 2 “Rule on
joinder of Causes of Action”)
- No misjoinder involved

VII. Other Cases which the First Level Courts have EXCLUSIVE ORIGINAL JURISDICTION

6. Forcible Entry and Unlawful Detainer

- The issue in unlawful detainer and forcible entry is possession, not ownership of real property.

7. Grant of Provisional Remedies in Proper Cases

-This rule presupposes that the MTC has jurisdiction over the principal action

8. Those covered in Summary Procedure (Civil Cases)

 - All cases of forcible entry and unlawful detainer, irrespective of the amount of damages or unpaid rentals
sought to be recovered. Where attorney’s fees are awarded, the same shall not exceed P20,000;
* 1991 Rules of Summary Procedure

-All other cases, except probate proceedings where the total amount of the plaintiff’s claim does not exceed
P100,000 (outside MM) or P200,000 (in MM), exclusive of interest and costs.

9. Those covered in Small Claims

10. Inclusion and Exclusion of Voters

VIII. SPECIAL JURISDICTION

Special jurisdiction over petition for writ of habeas corpus and application for bail if the RTC Judge in the area is
not available.

IX. DELEGATED JURISDICTION

Delegated jurisdiction to hear and decide cadastral and land registration cases where there is no controversy
and there are no opposition provided the value of the land to be ascertained by the claimant does not exceed
P100,000.
o The delegation need be made by SC.
o In ascertaining value of the lot:
a) Affidavit of claimant
b) Agreement of claimants, if more than 1
c) Tax Dec of real property

Judgment of MTC appealable to RTC – END.