Law Summary

Purpose and Authority

• Legal Basis: Issued by Manuel L. Quezon, President of the Philippines, under the authority granted by the Constitution and laws of the Philippines.
• Objective: To increase the number of justices in the Court of Appeals and judges in the Court of First Instance within the Fourth Judicial District while extending general jurisdiction to certain judges.

Court of Appeals Structure

• Composition:
  • The Court of Appeals shall consist of:
    • One Presiding Justice
    • Eighteen Associate Justices
  • May operate in multiple divisions as determined by court resolution.

Judges of the Fourth Judicial District

• Judiciary Composition:
  • Total Judges: Fourteen judges to be commissioned for the Fourth Judicial District.
    • Manila Judges: Eleven judges, designated as:
      • Judges of the First to Eleventh Branches of the Court of First Instance of Manila and Palawan.
    • Rizal Judges: Three judges to preside over the Court of First Instance in the Province of Rizal.

General Jurisdiction of Cadastral Judges

• Judicial Authority:
  • Judges appointed under Commonwealth Act No. 504 (Cadastral) are endowed with general jurisdiction.
  • They are authorized to try and determine all cases that are originally cognizable or those on appeal by the Courts of First Instance.

Execution and Enactment

• Date of Order: The order was officially enacted on December 24, 1941.
• Location: Executed in the City of Manila.

Signatures

• Presidential Signature: Manuel L. Quezon
• Secretary to the President: Jorge B. Vargas

Key Takeaways

• Executive Order No. 395 expands the judicial framework of the Philippines by increasing the number of justices and judges.
• It specifically enhances the structure of the Court of Appeals and the Fourth Judicial District.
• Judges appointed under the Cadastral Act gain broader jurisdiction across all Philippine courts for specific case types.