FUNCTIONS OF THE

JUDICIAL BRANCH

Presented by:
Nicole Angelee Limos
 “I’m for truth, no matter who
tells it. I’m for justice, no matter
who it is for or against.”

- Malcolm X
  The judiciary or judicial
branch of the government is
the primary agency that
handles matters concerning
the settlement of issues
regarding the rights and
interpretation of law.
The power of the judiciary rests on
the Supreme Court and the lower
courts, which include the:

- Court of Appeals
- Sandigan Bayan
- Regional Trial Court
- Metropolitan Trial Court
- Municipal Trial Court
The 1987 Constitution defines judicial power
as follows:

Judicial power includes the duty of the

courts of justice to settle actual
controversies involving rights which are
legally demandable and enforceable and
to determine whether or not there has
been a grave abuse of discretion
amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction
on the part of any branch or instrumentality
of the Government.
 SOME OF THE
FUNCTIONS OF THE
SUPREME COURT
UNDER THE 1987
CONSTITUTION ARE:
 The Supreme Court primarily
handles the cases of
ambassadors, other public
ministers, and consults.
  Review, affirm, reverse, or amend
the decision of lower courts on certain
cases that may concern the
constitutionality or validity of
international agreement and
presidential decrees, questionable
decisions or processes of lower courts,
cases which are punishable by
lifetime imprisonment, error or
question of law, among others.
  Appointment of judges,
officials, and employees of the
Judiciary.
  Create and disseminate
rules and procedures
concerning the processes in
legal courts as well as the
membership to the bar.
PERMESU
TURCO
SUPREME
COURT
 - It is composed of a Chief
Justice and fourteen
Associate Justices appointed
by the President from a list of
qualifiers from the screening
process done by the Judicial
and Bar Council.
TURCO FO
PAEPALS
COURT OF
APPEALS
- It is the second highest tribunal or legal
court in the country.

- It is composed of a Presiding Justice

and Sixty-nine Associate Justices who are
appointed by the president.

- They mainly receives, reviews, and

resolves appeals on decisions of
Regional Trial Courts, as well as that of
the office of the Ombudsman in cases
wherein one of the parties is not satisfied
with the decision.
TURCO FO
AXT
PAEPALS
COURT OF
TAX
APPEALS
- It is composed of one Presiding
Justice and five Associate
Justices.

- They focuses on reviewing and

resolving appeals of decisions
from legal courts concerning
cases related to tax, tariffs, and
other monetary obligations to the
government.
THE SANDIGAN BAYAN HAS
THE FOLLOWING
MANDATE:
 SEC. 5
The Batasang Pambansa shall create a
special court, to be known as
Sandiganbayan, which shall have
jurisdiction over criminal and civil cases
involving graft and corrupt practices
and such other offenses committed by
public officers and employees, including
those in government-owned or
controlled corporations, in relation to
their office as may be determined by
law.
(Article XIII, 1973 Constitution)
 SEC. 4
The present anti-graft court
known as the Sandiganbayan
shall continue to function and
exercise its jurisdiction as now or
hereafter may be provided by
law.
(Article XI, 1987 Constitution)
 Lower courts such as city and
municipal courts have original
jurisdiction over cases such as, but
not limited to, violations of
municipal ordinances, gambling,
assault, estafa to a certain amount,
malicious mischief, trespassing, and
illegal possessions of firearms.

(Ramirez, 1969)
 In order to further maintain
objectivity in the system, the
judicial branch sometimes
transfers one judge or even
cases from one city to
another.

(Defensor-Santiago, 2002)
 Section 15, Article VIII of the 1987
Constitution
provided a timetable for the
resolution of the cases brought to the
judiciary: two years for the Supreme
court, one year for the lower
collegiate courts and three months for
all other lower courts.
 Section 15 [4] further goes on to say
that despite the expiration of the
applicable mandatory period, the
court without prejudice to such
responsibility as may have been
incurred in consequence thereof, shall
decide or resolve the case or matter
submitted thereto for determination,
without further delay.