Question & AnswerQ&A (BATAS PAMBANSA BLG. 129)
The Act is officially known as the "Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980."
The reorganization includes the Court of Appeals, Courts of First Instance, Circuit Criminal Courts, Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts, Courts of Agrarian Relations, City Courts, Municipal Courts, and Municipal Circuit Courts.
The Intermediate Appellate Court consists of a Presiding Appellate Justice and forty-nine Associate Appellate Justices appointed by the President. The Court operates through ten divisions, each with five members.
Qualifications are the same as those provided in the Constitution for Justices of the Supreme Court.
It has original jurisdiction to issue writs of mandamus, prohibition, certiorari, habeas corpus, quo warranto, and auxiliary writs or processes, whether or not in aid of its appellate jurisdiction.
It has exclusive appellate jurisdiction over all final judgments, decisions, resolutions, orders, or awards of Regional Trial Courts and quasi-judicial agencies, except those cases under the Supreme Court's appellate jurisdiction as constitutionally provided.
There are thirteen (13) Regional Trial Courts created, one for each judicial region, each consisting of several provinces, cities, and municipalities as specified in the Act.
The appointee must be a natural-born Filipino citizen, at least 35 years old, and must have been engaged in the practice of law or held a public office requiring admission to the practice of law for at least ten years.
They have exclusive original jurisdiction over civil cases including those involving title to or possession of real property, probate matters where the estate exceeds P20,000, marriage and marital relations, and civil actions where the demand exceeds P20,000 (excluding interest and costs).
Regional Trial Courts have appellate jurisdiction over cases decided by Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts within their territorial jurisdictions.
Metropolitan Trial Courts are established in metropolitan areas, Municipal Trial Courts in other cities or municipalities, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts in municipal circuits comprising grouped cities and/or municipalities.
A natural-born Filipino citizen, at least 30 years old, and at least five years engaged in the practice of law or holding public office requiring admission to the practice of law.
They have exclusive original jurisdiction over violations of city or municipal ordinances and offenses punishable by imprisonment not exceeding four years and two months or fines not exceeding P4,000 or both, including civil liabilities arising thereof.
The period for appeal from final orders, judgments, or decisions is fifteen (15) days from notice; however, in habeas corpus cases, it is 48 hours from notice.
Compensation is set by the President following guidelines in Presidential Decrees, and longevity pay equivalent to 5% of the monthly basic pay is granted for every five years of continuous service, provided total salary does not exceed that of the next higher rank.