EXPANSION OF THE JURISDICTION OF FIRST LEVEL COURTS:
DECLOGGING THE DOCKET OF OUR SECOND LEVEL COURTS
Last 30 July 2021, President Rodrigo R. Duterte signed into law Republic Act No. 11576, or An Act Further Expanding the Jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts in Cities, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Court, Amending for the Purpose Batas Pambansa Blg. 129, Otherwise Known as the “Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980, As Amended.
As a background, we have a four-tier court system in the country. The First Level Courts are known as Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts in Cities, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Court. These are usually located in our municipalities. The Second Level Courts are our Regional Trial Court. These are usually in urban or city centers. We have our appellate court which is the Court of Appeals and the highest court of the land or the court of last resort, the Supreme Court.
Republic Act No. 11576 expanded the jurisdiction of the First Level Courts. Prior thereto, when it comes to civil action, which involves the title to, or possession of, real property, or any interest therein, it is within the jurisdiction of First Level Courts if the assessed value of the property does not exceed Twenty Thousand Pesos (Php20,000.00), and Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php50,000.00) if within Metro Manila. With respect to admiralty and maritime jurisdiction, it will be within the jurisdiction of First Level Courts if the claim does not exceed One Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php100,000.00), and Two Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php200,000.00) if within Metro Manila. The same jurisdictional amount goes with probate, both testate and intestate, wherein the value should not exceed One Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php100,000.00), and Two Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php200,000.00) in Metro Manila, for the jurisdiction to be within the First Level Courts.
Under Republic Act No. 11576, the jurisdictional value regarding civil actions involving the title, or possession of, real property, or any interest therein, was increased to Four Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php400,000.00). As regards admiralty and maritime jurisdiction, the amount was increased to Two Million Pesos (Php2,000,000.00). Finally, the same goes with respect to probate proceedings, both testate and intestate, wherein the jurisdiction shall be with the First Level Courts if the value will not exceed Two Million Pesos (Php2,000,000.00). As observed, there is no more distinction if the dispute is within or outside Metro Manila.
By increasing the jurisdictional amount, many cases will be cognizable already before the First Level Courts. Among others, the following are the expected positive results of the expansion of the jurisdiction of the First Level Courts: 1) there will be more cases cognizable in the Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts in Cities, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Court, hence, litigants need not go to urban or city centers for the hearing of their cases; 2) declogging of dockets of the Second Level Courts or the Regional Trial Courts; 3) Second Level Courts or the Regional Trial Courts will be able to focus on cases solely cognizable by their courts; 4) there will be more applicants for Judges for Second Level Courts or Regional Trial Courts; and 5) cases cognizable by First Level Courts will be speedier since the use of Judicial Affidavits as testimonies of witnesses are mandatory therein.
The enactment of Republic Act No. 11576 should not only be seen as breather or victory of Second Level Court Judges who complain of heavy workload due to imbalance of cognizable cases vis-à-vis First Level Courts. It should be seen as recalibration of our court system and balancing the workload so that our courts, our talented Judges will be able to deliver justice in the most optimum way possible.