Increase in Branches of Courts of First Instance (Section 1)
- Amends Section 50 of the Judiciary Act of 1948.
- Specifies the number of judges assigned to each judicial district and province/city.
- Details the exact number of branches and locations per district, covering 16 judicial districts.
- Judges are designated by branch numbers corresponding to their courts.
Re-structuring of Courts of First Instance (Section 2)
- Amends Section 52 of the Judiciary Act of 1948.
- Designates permanent stations of judges in each judicial district.
- Provides detailed assignments of judges to specific municipalities or cities within each province/district.
- Ensures that courts are stationed strategically according to population centers and needs.
Creation of Additional City Court Salas (Section 3)
- Establishes additional salas in select cities with increasing caseloads.
- Enumerates specific cities and the increase in the number of city court branches (salas).
- Cities include Caloocan, Manila, Pasay, Quezon, and others.
Creation of New Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts (Section 4)
- Establishes Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts (JDRCs) in various provinces and cities.
- Judges appointed to these courts must have the same qualifications, privileges, and salary as Courts of First Instance judges.
- Specifies the judicial district and station for each new JDRC.
Special Provisions on Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts (Section 5)
- Supreme Court may designate branches of Courts of First Instance to function as JDRCs where none exist.
- JDRCs in Manila, Quezon, Caloocan, and Pasay have jurisdiction over all cases in Metro Manila.
- Conversion of existing mixed criminal, juvenile, and domestic relations court in Dumaguete City to a regular JDRC with territorial jurisdiction.
- Transfer of pending criminal cases not under JDRC jurisdiction to appropriate city courts.
Provision of Court Personnel, Equipment, and Facilities (Section 6)
- Each additional court created shall be supplied with necessary personnel, equipment, and facilities to ensure immediate functionality upon judge appointment.
Transitory Provisions (Section 7)
- Pending cases in newly created branches, where trial has not yet started, shall be equitably distributed among all branches per Supreme Court rules.
- Cases where trial has commenced remain with the current branches until final disposition.
- Supreme Court shall transfer cases cognizable by the new JDRCs upon their organization.
Appropriations (Section 8)
- Authorizes funding of P19,000,000 for Courts of First Instance, P2,000,000 for City Courts, and P3,000,000 for Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts.
- Appropriations for subsequent years to be included in the Annual General Appropriations Decree.
Repealing Clause (Section 9)
- Repeals or modifies any inconsistent laws, decrees, or orders contradictory to the provisions of this Decree.
Effectivity (Section 10)
- The Decree takes effect immediately upon its signing.
- Signed in Manila on June 10, 1978, by the President of the Philippines and Presidential Assistant.