Regional Districts, Court Stations, and Judges’ Residences
- Districts mirror those of Courts of First Instance.
- Supreme Court determines court stations.
- Executive Judge stationed in Metropolitan Manila but can hold court elsewhere as needed.
- Detailed list of Branches and their stations organized by regional district.
- Judges must reside within 39 kilometers of their station.
Composition and Appointment of Judges
- Courts vested with an Executive Judge and District Judges.
- Judges appointed by the President but incumbent judges continue without new appointments.
- Executive Judge exercises administrative functions.
- Chief Justice may designate an Acting Executive Judge in case of incapacity.
Qualifications, Tenure, and Compensation of Judges
- Natural-born Filipino citizens only.
- At least 10 years legal practice or equivalent qualified office.
- Minimum 4 years experience/background in agrarian relations or reform.
- Exceptional cases may waive qualifications.
- Term during good behavior until 65 years or incapacity.
- Compensation same as Courts of First Instance; Executive Judge receives additional benefits.
Retirement, Leave, and Traveling Expenses
- Judges use same retirement and leave privileges as Courts of First Instance.
- Entitled to traveling expenses as provided by law.
Vacation Duty Assignment
- Assigned by the Chief Justice with consultation from the Executive Judge.
Oath of Office
- Judges must take prescribed oath before assuming duties.
- Must certify that agrarian laws have been observed on his/her lands and immediate family.
Division of Business Among Branches
- Official business distributed equitably among branches by judges’ agreement or Executive Judge’s decision.
Resolution and Decision Timeframes
- Judges shall resolve petitions/motions within 15 days of submission and decide cases within 30 days.
- Monthly certification of compliance is mandatory.
- No leave or salary without certification.
Court Sessions: Time and Place
- Sessions held all working days with cases scheduled.
- Hours: 8 AM to 12 Noon, 1 PM to 5 PM.
- Courts held at official stations but may be held in barangay centers if necessary.
Detailing and Reassignment of Judges
- Executive Judge can reassign judges for docket assistance or vacancies.
- Chief Justice may detail judges outside districts upon consultation.
- Judges must decide transferred cases even if assigned elsewhere.
- Partial hearings may be continued by the same judge upon Chief Justice approval.
Jurisdiction of the Courts of Agrarian Relations
- Exclusive original jurisdiction over agrarian cases involving cultivation and use of agricultural land, except those under National Labor Relations Commission.
- Jurisdiction over agrarian reform laws, amortization collections, lease contract annulments, boundary disputes, membership disputes in farmers’ organizations, and expropriation related to agrarian reform.
- Secretary of Agrarian Reform has exclusive jurisdiction over administrative implementation matters (e.g., land classification, tenancy relationships).
- Cases involving violations of agrarian penal laws, with judge-related violations handled by courts of general jurisdiction.
- Mandatory Secretary of Agrarian Reform certification before ejectment of tenant-farmers from rice/corn lands.
Territorial Jurisdiction and Venue
- Cases filed in branch having territorial jurisdiction over land involved.
- Exclusive jurisdiction where land straddles multiple districts accorded to the branch first receiving the case.
- Supreme Court resolves territorial jurisdiction conflicts.
- Parties estopped from raising territorial jurisdiction if not objected in trial courts.
- Specific venue rules based on party types and locations of farmholdings or main offices.
Powers of the Courts of Agrarian Relations
- Powers equivalent to Courts of First Instance, including contempt, order enforcement, compelling attendance, administering oaths, and amending processes.
- Authority to authorize leaders of farmers’ organizations to appear as counsel, with appeals requiring bar membership.
- Free service of all writs and processes by authorized government officers.
Disqualification of Judges
- Judges disqualified if pecuniarily interested, related to parties/counsel within specified degrees, or previously involved as executor/administrator/guardian/trustee/counsel, unless written consent of parties is given.
Rules of Procedure
- Uniform rules adopted for matters not covered by this Decree to ensure just, quick, and inexpensive resolutions.
- Rules of Court do not apply even suppletorily to agrarian cases, except criminal and expropriation cases.
- Affidavits and narrative testimonies allowed; equity favored over technicalities.
- Impounding tenant’s harvest constrained, with protections and penalties for malicious actions by landowners.
- Indigent tenant-farmers entitled to pauper litigant privileges, including free transcript copies.
Pleadings, Hearings, and Limitations on Postponements
- Defendants must answer complaints within 10 days; plaintiffs answer counterclaims in 5 days.
- No default judgments for failure to answer.
- Immediate trial setting after joinder of issues or expiration of answer period.
- Amicable settlement encouraged but cannot diminish tenant’s rights.
- Continuous trials until termination.
- No postponement due to counsel absence if parties duly notified.
- Motions to dismiss not entertained.
- Orders on interlocutory issues not subject to immediate appellate review.
Appeals Process
- Appeals to Court of Appeals by oral or written notice within 15 days.
- Single motion for reconsideration allowed; appeal period adjusted accordingly.
- Court of Appeals reviews findings for substantial evidence and law adherence.
- Court may consider issues not raised if necessary for just disposition.
- Records forwarded within 15 days upon appeal or motion resolution.
- Appeals do not stay decisions unless ejectment is involved.
- Court of Appeals decides within 30 days after records/memoranda receipt.
- No motions for rehearing or reconsideration at appellate level.
- Supreme Court review on certiorari only on questions of law within 30 days.
Supreme Court’s Rulemaking Power
- Supreme Court authorized to modify, supplement, or amend rules of practice and procedure for agrarian cases.
Monthly Reporting Requirements
- Monthly reports submitted to Supreme Court covering caseload, nature, trial locations, and case status.
- Executive Judge compiles decisions and orders for dissemination.
Provision of Courtrooms, Offices, and Facilities
- Provincial governments provide courtrooms and offices; expenses shared with cities where applicable.
- Locations preferably within Court of First Instance buildings.
- Maintenance and operational expenses borne by national government.
Administrative Provisions and Personnel
- Each branch staffed with designated clerks, stenographers, interpreters, security, and administrative personnel.
- Central office staffing detailed across executive, management, finance, administration, medical, legal divisions.
- Abolition of Commissioner positions.
- Supreme Court empowered to modify staffing and salaries.
- Appointment of officials by Chief Justice under civil service laws.
- Current officials/employees continue but must be reappointed within six months or be separated with gratuity or retirement benefits.
Appropriations
- Existing appropriations restructured to support implementation.
- Additional 5 million pesos automatically appropriated if needed upon Chief Justice certification.
Interagency Cooperation
- All government agencies involved in agrarian reform to provide necessary facilities and support to Courts of Agrarian Relations.
Separability Clause
- Unconstitutional or invalid provisions do not affect the rest of the Decree.
Repealing Clause
- All inconsistent laws, decrees, or provisions repealed or modified.
- Specific repeal of Chapter IX of RA 3844.
Effectivity
- The Decree is effective immediately upon promulgation.