WEEK 11 – ARTICLE VIII JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT REVIEWER

Judicial Power

• vested in one Supreme Court and lower courts

• settle actual controversies + grave abuse of discretion

Judicial Review

test validity of acts against the Constitution

Requisites for Judicial Review

• actual case or controversy

• locus standing

• raised at the earliest opportunity

• lis motto of the case

Organization of Courts

• Regular Courts – General in application (MeTC, MTC, RTC, Court of Appeals)

• Special Courts – Limited cases (Shari’a, Sandiganbayan, Court of Tax Appeals)

• Quasi-Judicial Agencies – not part of integrated judicial system

Fiscal Autonomy

appropriations may not be reduced below previous year

Supreme Court

• Chief Justice + 14 Associate Justices

• sits en banc or in divisions

• vacancy filled within 90 days

Powers of the Supreme Court

• original jurisdiction (certiorari, prohibition, mandamus, quo warranto, habeas corpus)

• appellate jurisdiction

• promulgate rules of procedure

• appoint all judiciary officials

Period for Deciding Cases

• Supreme Court: 24 months

• Lower Collegiate Courts: 12 months

• Other Lower Courts: 3 months