Case Digest (G.R. No. 9767)
Facts:
- The case Tagal v. Johnston (G.R. No. 9767) was decided by the Supreme Court of the Philippines on February 5, 1915.
- Petitioner Francisca Tagal sought a writ of mandamus against C.D. Johnston, the Judge of First Instance, and respondents Manuel Baricaua, Jacobo Tumacay, and Raymundo Gaffud.
- The dispute originated in the justice of the peace court of Enrile, Cagayan, where Tagal aimed to recover possession of agricultural land and claim damages.
- The justice of the peace ruled in favor of Tagal, prompting the defendants to appeal to the Court of First Instance.
- Judge Johnston delegated the case to Ramon Valdez, a justice of the peace from Tuguegarao, due to his vacation.
- Valdez issued a judgment on July 14, 1913, ordering the defendants to return the land and pay damages.
- The defendants filed a motion for a new hearing, which Judge Johnston granted, scheduling it for September 9, 1913.
- Tagal's attorney contested Johnston's authority to rule on the new trial, asserting that the prior judgment was final.
- After several motions and hearings, Judge Johnston dismissed the case on September 22, 1913, prompting Tagal to file for a writ of mandamus, claiming Johnston exceeded his jurisdiction.
Issue:
- (Unlock)
Ruling:
- The Supreme Court denied Francisca Tagal's petition for a writ of mandamus.
- The Court ruled that Judge Johnston retained the power to regain control of the case after the delegation to the justice of the peace expired.
- The judgment by the justice of the peace was not final due to the timely ...(Unlock)
Ratio:
- The Court's decision was based on Act No. 2131, which allowed justices of the peace to exercise jurisdiction through delegation from judges of the Court of First Instance.
- The delegation is time-bound and can be revoked or expire, enabling the original judge to reclaim jurisdiction.
- Since Johnston's delegation to Valdez had expi...continue reading
Case Digest (G.R. No. 9767)
Facts:
The case of Tagal v. Johnston (G.R. No. 9767) was adjudicated by the Supreme Court of the Philippines on February 5, 1915. The petitioner, Francisca Tagal, sought a writ of mandamus against C.D. Johnston, the Judge of First Instance, along with respondents Manuel Baricaua, Jacobo Tumacay, and Raymundo Gaffud. The dispute originated from a civil suit initiated by Tagal in the justice of the peace court of Enrile, Cagayan, where she sought to recover possession of agricultural land and claim damages. The justice of the peace ruled in favor of Tagal, prompting the defendants to appeal the decision to the Court of First Instance. In light of taking a vacation, Judge Johnston delegated the case to Ramon Valdez, a justice of the peace from Tuguegarao. Valdez rendered a judgment on July 14, 1913, ordering the defendants to return the land and pay damages. Subsequently, the defendants filed a motion for a new hearing, which Judge Johnston granted, scheduling a rehearing for September 9, 1913. However, Tagal's attorney contested Johnston's authority to rule on the new trial, arguing that the prior judgment was final. After various motions and hearings, Judge Johnston dismissed the case on September 22, 1913, prompting Tagal to file a petition for a writ of mandamus, alleging that Johnston ...