Supreme Court                                              effective unless disapproved by the
Supreme Court. (Sec 5, Par 5)
   -   The highest court in the Philippines. It
       has administrative supervision over all      Habeas Corpus
       courts and personnel.
                                                       -   is a fundamental right in the Constitution
Court of Appeals                                           that protects against unlawful and
                                                           indefinite imprisonment.
   -   Hukuman ng Paghahabol ng Pilipinas.
                                                       -   a writ requiring a person under arrest to
   -   The Philippines' second-highest judicial
                                                           be brought before a judge or into court,
       court.
                                                           especially to secure the person's release
Judicial and Bar Council                                   unless lawful grounds are shown for their
                                                           detention.
   -   the primary task is to recommend
       appointees to the Judiciary and the Office   Justiciable Question
       of the Ombudsman for the President's
                                                       -   A justiciable question is one which affects
       perusal. The council aims to enhance the
                                                           personal or property rights accorded to
       quality of the search, screening, and
                                                           every member of the community in cases
       selection process, as well as insulate the
                                                           properly brought before the judicial
       process from the undue influence of any
                                                           tribunals. It is one which is proper to be
       kind.
                                                           examined or decided in courts of justice
Grave abuse of Discretion                                  because its determination would not
                                                           involve an encroachment upon the
   -   as such capricious and whimsical                    legislative or executive power.
       exercise of judgment as is equivalent to
       lack of jurisdiction.                        Jurisdictions of Courts
Sharia Circuit Court                                Jurisdiction is the power and authority of a court
                                                    to hear, try, and decide a case. It may be:
   -   Equivalent to the Municipal Circuit Trial
       Courts are the Shari'a Circuit Courts        (1) General. – when it is empowered to decide
   -   Established in certain municipalities in     all disputes which may come before it except
       Mindanao.                                    those assigned to other courts (e.g., jurisdiction
   -   Where the Code of Muslim Personal            of the Regional Trial Courts);
       Laws of the Philippines is being enforced.
                                                    (2) Limited. – when it has authority to hear and
   -   There are five Shari'a Circuit Courts and
                                                    determine only a few specified cases (e.g.,
       fiftyone Shari'a Circuit Courts in
                                                    jurisdiction of special courts, supra.);
       existence.
                                                    (3) Original. – when it can try and decide a case
Political Question
                                                    presented for the first time;
   -   A political question on the other hand is
                                                    (4) Appellate. – when it can take a case already
       one which, under the Constitution, “is to
                                                    heard and decided by a lower court removed
       be decided by the people in their
                                                    from the latter by appeal;
       sovereign capacity, are in regard to
       which full discretionary authority has       (5) Exclusive. - When it can try and decide a
       been delegated to the legislative or         case which cannot be presented before any
       executive branch of the government.”         other court;
Rule Making Power                                   6) Concurrent. - When any one of two or more
                                                    courts may take cognizance of a case;
   -   (5) Promulgate rules concerning the
       protection     and     enforcement      of   (7) Criminal. – that which exists for the
       constitutional rights, pleading, practice,   punishment of crime; and
       and procedure in all courts, the
       admission to the practice of law, the        (8) Civil. - That which exists when the subject
       integrated bar, and legal assistance to      matter is not of a criminal nature (e.g., collection
       the underprivileged. Such rules shall        of debt).
       provide a simplified and inexpensive         Powers of the Supreme Court
       procedure for the speedy disposition of
       cases, shall be uniform for all courts of    Section 5. The Supreme Court shall have the
       the same grade, and shall not diminish,      following powers:
       increase, or modify substantive rights.      (1) Exercise original jurisdiction over cases
       Rules of procedure of special courts and     affecting ambassadors, other public ministers
       quasi-judicial bodies shall remain           and consuls, and over petitions for certiorari,
prohibition, mandamus, quo warranto, and
habeas corpus.
(2) Review, revise, reverse, modify, or affirm on
appeal or certiorari, as the law or the Rules of
Court may provide, final judgments and orders
of lower courts in:
(3) Assign temporarily judges of lower courts to
other stations as public interest may require.
Such temporary assignment shall not exceed
six months without the consent of the judge
concerned.
(4) Order a change of venue or place of trial to
avoid a miscarriage of justice.
(5) Promulgate rules concerning the protection
and enforcement of constitutional rights,
pleading, practice, and procedure in all courts,
the admission to the practice of law, the
integrated bar, and legal assistance to the
underprivileged. Such rules shall provide a
simplified and inexpensive procedure for the
speedy disposition of cases, shall be uniform for
all courts of the same grade, and shall not
diminish, increase, or modify substantive rights.
Rules of procedure of special courts and quasi-
judicial bodies shall remain effective unless
disapproved by the Supreme Court.
 (6) Appoint all officials and employees of the
Judiciary in accordance with the Civil Service
Law.
Judicial and Bar Council
   -   composed of the Chief Justice as ex
       officio Chairman, the Secretary of
       Justice, and a representative of the
       Congress as ex officio Members, a
       representative of the Integrated Bar, a
       professor of law, a retired Member of the
       Supreme Court, and a representative of
       the private sector.
Powers of Sandiganbayan
   -   The Sandiganbayan (SB) tries and
       decides criminal and civil cases against
       government officials and employees
       accused of graft and corruption and
       similar other offenses