Professional Documents
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CIVIL PROCEDURE
JURISDICTION
TEST OF WHETHER THE SUBJECT MATTER IS INCAPABLE OF PECUNIARY
ESTIMATION
In determining whether an action is one the subject matter of which is not
capable of pecuniary estimation, the Court has adopted the criterion of first
ascertaining the nature of the principal action or remedy sought:
1. If it is primarily for the recovery of a sum of money, the claim is considered
capable of pecuniary estimation, and whether jurisdiction is in the municipal courts
or in the RTCs would depend on the amount of the claim.
2.I f the basic issue is something other than the right to recover a sum of
money, where the money claim is purely incidental to, or a consequence of, the
principal relief sought, the Court has considered such actions as cases where the
subject of the litigation may not be estimated in terms of money, and, hence, are
incapable of pecuniary estimation. These cases are cognizable exclusively by RTCs.
(SURVIVING HEIRS OF ALFREDO R. BAUTISTA, et al. v. FRANCISCO LINDO,
et al., G.R. No. 208232, March 10, 2014, Velasco, Jr., J)
ACTION TO ENFORCE RIGHT TO REPURCHASE LOT IS BEYOND PECUNIARY
ESTIMATION.
An action to enforce a right to repurchase the lot of a party formerly owned
pursuant to the right of a free patent holder under Sec. 119 of CA 141 or the Public
Land Act is one beyond pecuniary estimation. It is not one involving title to or
possession of real property or interest therein. The reconveyance of the title is
solely dependent on the exercise of such right to repurchase and is not the principal
main relief or remedy. Such being the case, his action for specific performance is
incapable of pecuniary estimation and cognizable by the RTC. (Surviving Heirs of
Alfredo Bautista v. Lindo, et al., G.R. No. 208232, March 10, 2014, Velasco,
J).
PERSONAL ACTION
An action to recover the deficiency after extrajudicial foreclosure of a real
property mortgage is a personal action because it does not affect title to or
possession of real property, or any interest therein. (BPI FAMILY SAVINGS
BANK, INC. v. SPOUSES BENEDICTO & TERESITA YUJUICO July 22,
2015 )
ADHERENCE TO JURISDICTION
Jurisdiction once acquired is not lost upon the instance of the parties but
continues until the case is terminated. Certainly, it would be the height of injustice
to allow parties that disagree with the decision of a judicial tribunal to annul the
same through the expedient of transferring their interests or rights involved in the
In exercising the second option under Art. 2041, the aggrieved party may, if
he chooses, bring the suit contemplated or involved in his original demand, as if
there had never been any compromise agreement, without bringing an action for
rescission. This is because he may regard the compromise as already rescinded by
the breach thereof of the other party. (Catedrilla v. Lauron, G.R. No. 179011,
April 15, 2013 citing Chavez v. CA, G.R. No. 159411, March 18, 2005).
INSTANCES WHERE PARTIES MAY GO DIRECTLY TO COURT WITHOUT THE
NEED OF PRIOR BARANGAY CONCILIATION:
1. Accused is under DETENTION
2. Where a person has otherwise been deprived of personal liberty calling for
HABEAS CORPUS proceedings.
3. Where actions are coupled with PROVISIONAL REMEDIES.
4. Where the action may be barred by the STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS.
RULE 2 - ACTIONS
LACK OF CAUSE OF ACTION
Lack of cause of action is not a ground for a dismissal of the complaint through a
motion to dismiss under Rule 16 of the Rules of Court, for the determination of a
lack of cause of action can only be made during/or after trial ( Vitangcol vs. New
Vista Properties, Inc. 2009, Velasco Jr., J)
FAILURE TO STATE A CAUSE OF ACTION
In a motion to dismiss for failure to state a cause of action, the focus is on the
sufficiency, not the veracity, of the material allegations (AQUALAB PHILIPPINES,
INC. VS. HEIRS OF MARCELINO PAGOBO
(2009) VELASCO, JR, J.)
RULE 3 - PARTIES
CAPACITY OF MAMMALS TO SUE
The need to give the Resident Marine Mammals legal standing has been
eliminated by our Rules, which allow any Filipino citizen, as a steward of nature, to
bring a suit to enforce our environmental laws. It is worth noting here that the
Stewards are joined as real parties in the Petition and not just in representation of
the named cetacean species. The Stewards, having shown in their petition that
there may be possible violations of laws concerning the habitat of the Resident
Marine Mammals, are therefore declared to possess the legal standing to file this
petition. (Resident Marine Mammals of the Protected Seascape Tanon
Strait, etc. v. Sec. Angelo Reyes, et al., G.R. No. 180771, April 21, 2015 &
companion cases, Leonardo-De Castro, J).
EFFECT NON-JOINDER OF INDISPENSABLE PARTY
The non-joinder of indispensable parties is not a ground for the dismissal of an
action. At any stage of a judicial proceeding , parties may be added on the motion
of a party or on the initiative of the tribunal concerned.
RULE 3, SECTION 21
2.If the action has alread been instituted against the obligor and he dies before
entry of final judgment in the court in which the action is pending at the time of
such death, the action shall not be dismissed but shall instead be allowed to
continue until entry of final judgment.
If the plaintiff obtains a favorable judgment for money, he will have to file it as
money claim based on judgment in the probate court.(Section 20, Section 3)
IF IT IS A CLAIM THAT DOES NOT ARISE FROM CONTRACT, SUCH AS A
CLAIM FOR RECOVERY OF REAL OR PERSONAL PROPERTY OR
ENFORCEMENT OF A LIEN THEREON, THE RULES ARE:
1. If the obligor dies before an action could be filed against him, an ordinary action
may be filed against his executor or administrator;
2. I f the obligor dies after an action has already been instituted against him, the
action will continue until final judgment. The judgment may be executed against his
executor or administrator ( RULE 39, SECTION 7)
RULE -VENUE
COMPLEMENTARY-CONTRACTS CONSTRUED TOGETHER DOCTRINE
An accessory contract must be read in its entirety and together with the principal
agreement . Thus, the suetyship agreement can only be enforced in conjunction
with the promissory note. Thus, the venue stipulation in the promissory note also
applies to the suretyship agreement as an ancillary contract of the promissory note.
VENUE JURISDICTION IN CRIMINAL VS. CIVIL ACTIONS
VENUE STIPULATIONS
The phrase waiving any other venue plainly shows that the choice of Makati City
as the venue for actions arising out of or in connection with the Restructuring
Agreement and the Collateral, with the Real Estate Mortgages being explicitly
defined as such, is exclusive.( Paglaum Management vs. Union Bank of the
Philippines 18 JUNE 2012)
EFFECT OF PARTIAL DEFAULT
When a pleading asserting a claim states a common cause of action against several
defending parties, some of whom answer and the others fail to do so, the court shall
try the case against all upon the answers thus filed and render judgment upon the
evidence presented.(Rule 9,Sec 3 (c))
PLEADINGS
COMPULSORY COUNTERCLAIM
A claim for recovery of an excess in the bid price should be set up in the
action for payment of a deficiency as a compulsory counterclaim, otherwise it would
belatedly raised, hence, waived.
REQUISITES:
EXCEPTIONS:
1. RES JUDICATA
2. PRESCRIPTION
3.LACK OF JURISDICTION OVER THE SUBJECT MATTER
4.LITIS PENDENTIA (Section 1, Rule 9)
RULE 14 - SUMMONS
General Rule: In an action strictly in personam, personal service on the defendant
is the preferred mode of service, that is, by handing a copy of the summons to the
defendant in person.
Exceptions: If defendant, for excusable reasons, cannot be served with the
summons within a reasonable period substituted service can be resorted .
REQUIREMENTS FOR SUBSTITUTED SERVICE OF SUMMONS:
1. Impossibility of prompt of personal service .
NOTA BENE: The sheriff must show several attempts for personal service of at
least three times on at least two different dates.
Exceptions:
1. When it appears from the pleadings or the evidence on record that the court has
no jurisdiction over the subject matter or that the action is barred by res judicata or
lis pendens or prescription, the court shall dismiss the claim ( Section 1 , Rule 9)
2. In ejectment cases and in cases governed by the Rule on Summary
Procedure.
TWO DISMISSAL RULE
Unless otherwise stated in the notice, the dismissal is without prejudice, except that
a notice operates as an adjudication upon the merits when filed by a plaintiff who
has once dismissed in a competent court an action based on or including the same
claim. (Rule 17, Sec. 1)
Thus, when the same complaint had twice been dismissed by the plaintiff under
Sec.1 by simply filing a notice of dismissal, the second dismissal shall be with
prejudice.
CRIMINAL CASE
Ordered by the court and no motion to
set the case for pre-trial is required
from either the prosecution or the
defense.
DEMURRER
EFFECT OF DISMISSAL OF DEMURRER IN THE APPELLATE COURT: The
defendant loses the right to present evidence and the appellate court shall then
proceed to render judgment on the basis of plaintiff's evidence (Republic vs. Rivera
[2007])
DEPOSITIONS
WRITTEN INTERROGATORIES TO ADVERSE PARTIES
Any party desiring to elicit material and relevant facts from any adverse parties
shall file and serve upon the latter written interrogatories to be answered by the
party served or, if the party served is a public or private corporation or a
partnership or association, by any officer thereof competent to testify in its behalf.
(Rule 25, Sec. 1)
EFFECT OF FAILURE TO SERVE WRITTEN INTERROGATORIES: A party not
served with written interrogatories may not be compelled by the adverse party to
give testimony in open court, or to give a deposition pending appeal. (Rule 25,
Section 6)
RULE 23
RULE 25
TO WHOM IT IS
Always to parties.
SERVED:
EXAMINATIONS
TIME TO ANSWER:
thereof
JUDGMENT
SEVERAL JUDGMENT
Is one rendered by a court against one or more defendants, but not against all,
leaving the action to proceed against the others (Section 4, Rule 36)
A several judgment is proper when the liability of each party is clearly separable
and distinct from that of his co-parties, such that the claims against each of them
could have been the subject of separate suits.
EXECUTION OF JUDGMENT
VARIANCE RULE: If the writ of execution varies the terms of the judgment and
exceeded them, it has no validity.
SUPERVENING EVENT: A supervening event affects or changes the substance of
the judgment and renders the execution thereof inequitable. Should such an event
occur after a judgment becomes final and executory, which event may render the
execution of the judgment impossible or unjust. A stay or preclusion of execution
may properly be sought (Dee Ping Wee vs. Lee Hiong Wee [2010]).
TWO MODES OF EXECUTION:
1. Execution by motion if the enforcement of the judgement is sought within 5 years
from the date of its entry;
2. Execution by independent action, if the 5 year period has elapsed and before it is
barred by the statute of limitations (Section 6, Rule 39)
EXCEPTIONS:
THE FIVE AND TEN YEAR PERIODS DO NOT APPLY TO THE FOLLOWING:
(1) Special Proceedings such as Land Registration and Cadastral Cases
(2 Judgments for Support which do not become dormant
REMEDIES AVAILABLE TO A THIRD PARTY:
(TRIM)
1. MOTION or application with the court for the release of the property.
2. THIRD-PARTY CLAIM or terceria under Section 16 R39.
3. An action to claim damages on the INDEMNITY BOND if one is filed.
4. A separate REIVINDICATORY action to recover possession of the property from
the officer or the purchaser at the execution sale.
APPEAL
Neypes principle does not apply to administrative cases.
It is settled that the fresh period rule in Neypes applies only to judicial appeals and not
to administrative appeals.
The fresh period rule shall apply to :
1.Rule 40 (appeals from the Municipal Trial Courts to the Regional Trial Courts);
2. Rule 41 (appeals from the Regional Trial Courts to the Court of Appeals or Supreme Court);
3.Rule 42 (appeals from the Regional Trial Courts to the Court of Appeals); Rule 43 (appeals from
quasi-judicial agencies to the Court of Appeals); and
4. Rule 45 (appeals by certiorari to the Supreme Court). Obviously, these Rules cover judicial
proceedings under the 1997 Rules of Civil Procedure. (San Lorenzo Ruiz Builders & Dev. Corp.,
Inc., et al. v. Maria Cristina Banya, G.R. No. 194702, April 20, 2015)
Provisional Remedies
1. Rule 57
status quo ante order such person cannot be cited in contempt even if the
court order is silent whether the status quo ante order, TRO or preliminary
injunction is lifted.
Certiorari. Rule 65
Are the petitions for certiorari and prohibition applicable to Judicial Bar
Council? Yes. The remedies of certiorari and prohibition are necessarily
broader in scope and reach. Under Rule 65, Sec 1(par 1), the writ of certiorari
or prohibition may be issued to correct errors of jurisdiction committed not
only by a tribunal, corporation, board or officer exercising judicial, quasijudicial or ministerial functions but also to set right, undo and restrain any act
of grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction by any
branch or instrumentality of the Government, even if the latter does not
exercise judicial, quasi-judicial or ministerial functions. Consequently,
petitions for certiorari and prohibition are appropriate remedies to raise
constitutional issues and to review and/or prohibit or nullify the acts of
legislative and executive officials.
Here, the JBC indeed does not fall within the scope of a tribunal, board, or
officer exercising judicial or quasi-judicial functions. In the process of
selecting and screening applicants, the JBC neither acted in any judicial or
quasi-judicial capacity nor assumed unto itself any performance of judicial or
quasi-judicial prerogative. However, since the formulation of guidelines and
criteria is necessary and incidental to the exercise of the JBCs constitutional
mandate, a determination must be made on whether the JBC has acted with
grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction in
issuing and enforcing the said policy. Also, the case involves one of
transcendental importance which is the appointment of justice in the bench.
Note: Only the SC can do this not the RTC or CA.
Rule 69
An action for Partition is imprescriptible. For instance, co-owner A filed an
action for partition against co-owner B and C but was dismissed for failure to
prosecute, which has an effect of dismissal with prejudice under res judicata.
Subsequently co-owner C, filed an action for quieting of title for the same
property against B and A. A filed a compulsory counterclaim for partition but
C countered that As former action for partition was dismissed with prejudice
and such dismissal is adjudication on the merits. Is C correct?
No. An action for partition is imprescriptible (Art. 494 Civil Code) ergo; even if
the first action for partition was dismissed pursuant to Sec 3 Rule 17 the coowners can bring another action even a counter-claim for partition because
the action for partition is imprescriptible. Art 494 of the civil code, a
substantive law, prevails over a procedural rule under Sec 3 Rule 17.
Indirect Contempt
As to nature
Fine
not
exceeding
Php200
or
imprisonment not exceeding 1 day or
both, if it be MTC.
(1)Rule 40 (appeals from the Municipal Trial Courts to the Regional Trial
Courts);
(2)41 (appeals from the Regional Trial Courts to the Court of Appeals or
Supreme Court);
(3)Rule 42 (appeals from the Regional Trial Courts to the Court of Appeals);
(4) Rule 43 (appeals from quasi-judicial agencies to the Court of Appeals);
and
(5) Rule 45 (appeals by certiorari to the Supreme Court).
These Rules cover judicial proceedings under the 1997 Rules of Civil
Procedure
Except: Administrative proceedings and Rule 64 (Review of Judgments and
Final Orders or Resolutions of the Commission on Elections and the
Commission on Audit)