Executive

• Article VIII Section I of 1987 Philippine Constitution stated that the Judicial power shall be vested in one Supreme Court and in such lower courts as may be established by law.
• Judiciary

  • Its main role and function is to evaluate laws. It holds the power to settle controversies involving rights that are legally demandable and enforceable.
• The judicial branch interprets the meaning of laws, applies laws to individual cases, and decides if laws violate the Constitution
• Judiciary branch is made up of Supreme Court and lower courts.
• The Philippine Judiciary branch is comprised of regular courts tasked to administer  justice—two review courts and two trial courts as follows:

  •Supreme Court

  •Court of Appeals

  •Regional Trial Courts

  •Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, Municipal Circuit Trial Courts, and Municipal Trial Courts in Cities.
• Special courts are bodies within the judicial branch of government that generally address only one area of law or have specifically defined powers.
• The 4 special courts are the

  (1) Sandiganbayan

  (2) Court of tax Appeals

  (3) Shari’a District Courts

  (4)Shari’a Circuit Courts.
• METROPOLITAN TRIAL COURTS - Municipal Trial Courts inside the Metropolitan Area
• MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURTS – Covers only one municipality.
• MUNICIPAL CIRCUIT TRIAL COURTS – Covers two or more municipality.
• MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURTS IN CITIES – Outside the Metropolitan area.
• the Rule on Summary Procedure' in Special Cases adopted on August 1, 1983
• Procedure to be observed in the Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts

  1. Same as in the Regional Trial Courts

  2. Where a particular provision expressly or impliedly applies only to either of said courts

  3. In criminal cases governed by the Rule on Summary Procedure
• Criminal cases governed by the Rule on Summary Procedure

  • Violations of traffic laws, rules and regulations
  • Violations of the rental law
  • Violations of municipal or city ordinances
  • All other criminal cases where the penalty prescribed by law for the offense charged does not exceed six months imprisonment, or a fine of one thousand pesos (P1,000.00) or both irrespective of other imposable penalties, accessory or otherwise, or of the civil liability arising therefrom
• In offenses involving damage to property through criminal negligence, said Rule shall govern where the imposable fine does not exceed ten thousand pesos (P10,0000.00)
• SHARIA DISTRICT COURT ANDSHARIA CIRCUIT COURT

  •has the power similar to the regular courts, but the subjects over whom judicial powers are exercised are limited to Muslim Filipinos.
• Regional Trial Court

  •Was established among the regions of the republic.
• Regional Trial court

  •Exercises exclusive original jurisdiction of any court, tribunal or body, except those now falling under the exclusive and concurrent jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan.
• Regional Trial Court

  -Holds criminal cases like murder, robbery, as opposed to petty crimes, which reduce the burden of court cases.
• SANDIGANBAYAN

  •"The People’s Advocate”
• SandiganBayan

  •A special court which was established to decide criminal and civil cases against government officials and employees accused of graft and corruption and similar cases.
• COURT OF TAX APPEALS - involving criminal violation and collection of revenues under the National Internal Revenue Code and Tariff and Customs Code .In addition, local and real property taxes.
• Court of Appeals

  •2nd highest judicial court after the Supreme Court.
• The Court of Appeals is vested with the power to review all final judgments, decisions, resolutions, orders or awards of Regional Trial Courts; to try cases and conduct hearings, receive evidence and perform any and all acts necessary to resolve factual issues raised in cases falling within its original and appellate jurisdictions, including the power to grant and conduct new trials or further proceedings.
• Supreme Court

  •Highest court of the country. It has an administrative supervision over all courts and the personnel.
• Supreme Court

  •Consists of 14 Associate Justices and 1 Chief Justice.
• Supreme Court may be generally divided into two-judicial functions and administrative functions
• Supreme Court

  •The administrative functions of the Court pertain to the supervision and control over the Philippine judiciary and its employees, as well as over members of the Philippine bar.
• Supreme Court

  •The Court is further authorized to promulgate the rules for admission to the practice of law, for legal assistance to the underprivileged, and the procedural rules to be observed in all courts.