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Chapter I
FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS
I. THE BASICS OF THE CIVIL LITIGATION
PROCESS
A significant element of the Philippine judicial process is
its employment of the adversarial system as an indispensable
tool in dispute resolution. Under this system, the contending
parties present before a court their conflicting versions of an
occurrence by shaping both the facts, the issues and even
the evidence to suit their own perspectives, designs and
strategies in accordance with a body of rules that provides the
framework for the entire litigation process. This body of rules
likewise not only guides the court in its determination of legal
controversies but also prevents it from rendering arbitrary
orders, resolutions and decisions. In this jurisdiction, these
rules have been collectively called the Rules of Court.
Lawsuits are inventions neither of the court nor of the
judicial system because litigations inevitably arise within
any social environment. The system is in reality a passive
entity. A court for example, while having jurisdiction over
certain subject matters, does not on its own accord call on the
parties to litigate between or among themselves. Even the
rules of procedure on their own are mere mishmash of letters
and words, mere assortments of sentences and paragraphs,
dormant and virtually lifeless.
Lawsuits actually originate from an individual, from
one who feels aggrieved by the acts of another. A litigation
arises because someone goes to court and seeks redress
from it for a perceived transgression committed against his
1
CIVIL PROCEDURE
FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS
Complaint
FOREWORD
Some portions of this work have been rewritten for greater clarity and to incorporate the latest decisions of the Supreme Court as well as recent amendments to certain rules.
This work, as the one before it, is written primarily for
the law student, the bar reviewee and the aspiring lawyer. It
is a humble attempt to bring down the study of procedure to
a more workable and understandable level. It is an attempt
to use an approach that would hopefully strip civil procedure
of the traditional and mechanical presentation of procedural
principles.
The topics in these materials have veered away from the
original arrangement of the rules appearing in the Rules of
Court. The experienced among us know fully well that a strict
adherence to such presentation leads to the impression among
the uninitiated that remedial law is both abstract and circuitous. While this impression is so far from the truth and is
more of the mythical than the real, there still arises a need to
provide a fresh look at the subject so the reader may see how
the various pieces of the procedural puzzle t into a beautiful and logical scheme. Procedural principles have been rearranged in this work for the reader to appreciate the connection
among scattered and seemingly unconnected provisions of the
Rules of Court and for that reason, this material is called a
restatement.
Every effort has been made to incorporate the latest doctrines of the Supreme Court in every topic found in this work
for the ready reference of every reader including the practitioner. Examples of past bar examinations have been liberally
used for the student and the bar examinee to see how bar exiii
WILLARD B. RIANO
iv
DEDICATION
NiaDaddyMommy
NonongNeneng
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CONTENT
Chapter I
Fundamental Concepts
I. The Basics of the Civil Litigation Process
I.
Complaint ........................................................................
A. Right of Action and Cause of Action ......................
B. Jurisdiction, Venue and Parties,
Prescription and Conditions Precedent .................
C. Preparation of the Complaint ................................
D. Filing of the Complaint ..........................................
E. Dismissal of the Action by the Plaintiff.................
F. Amendment of the Complaint ................................
II. Summons .........................................................................
III. Answer .............................................................................
IV. Pre-Trial...........................................................................
V. Trial ...............................................................................
VI. Judgment .........................................................................
VII. Post Judgment Remedies ................................................
VIII. Execution .........................................................................
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Chapter II
Cause of Action and Actions
I. Cause of Action (Rule 2)
Meaning ...............................................................................
Elements of a Cause of Action .................................................
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II. Actions
Denition ...............................................................................
Civil Actions and Criminal Actions.........................................
Actions Distinguished from Special Proceedings
(Bar 1998; 1996) ..............................................................
Real and Personal Actions (Bar 2006; 2004) ..........................
Illustration (Adapted from Bar 1978
and 1976) .........................................................................
Suggested Answer ...........................................................
Signicance of the Distinction Between a Personal
and Real Action ...............................................................
In personam and in rem actions (Bar 1994) ...........................
Quasi in rem actions ................................................................
Signicance of Distinction Between Actions
in rem, in personam and quasi in rem ...........................
Jurisdiction over the Res .........................................................
Extraterritorial Service; Other Rules on Summons
(Bar 1989) ........................................................................
Application of Principles ..........................................................
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Chapter III
Jurisdiction, Venue and Parties
I. Jurisdiction
Meaning of Jurisdiction ...........................................................
Power of the Court ...................................................................
Test of Jurisdiction ..................................................................
Matter of Substantive Law ......................................................
Not Subject to Waiver or Stipulation ......................................
Duty of a Court to Determine its Jurisdiction........................
Jurisdiction Versus the Exercise of Jurisdiction....................
Error of Judgment and Error of Jurisdiction;
Distinctions (Bar 1989) ...................................................
Lack of Jurisdiction and Excess of Jurisdiction .....................
Jurisdiction and Cause of Action (Bar 1988) ..........................
Jurisdiction Over the Subject Matter .....................................
How Jurisdiction Over the Subject Matter
is Conferred .....................................................................
How Jurisdiction Over the Subject Matter is
Determined ......................................................................
Jurisdiction is not Determined Either by the
Defenses or by the Evidences in the Trial .....................
Applicability to Criminal Actions............................................
Exception to the Rule that Jurisdiction is Determined
by the Allegations of the Complaint ...............................
Doctrine of Primary Jurisdiction ............................................
Doctrine of Continuity of Jurisdiction
(adherence of jurisdiction) ..............................................
Law Which Governs Jurisdiction ............................................
Objections to Jurisdiction Over the Subject Matter ..............
Illustration (Bar 2004) ....................................................
Suggested Answer ...........................................................
Effect of Estoppel on Objections to Jurisdiction.....................
Tijam Ruling, an Exception Rather Than the Rule ...............
Jurisdiction Over the Parties ..................................................
Illustration (Bar 1981) ....................................................
Suggested Answer ...........................................................
Illustration (Bar 2005) ....................................................
Suggested Answer ...........................................................
Illustration (Bar 1994) ....................................................
Suggested Answer ...........................................................
When Jurisdiction Over the Person of the
Defendant is Required ....................................................
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Chapter IV
Filing, Amendment and Dismissal by the Plaintiff
A. Filing of the Complaint (Rules 1 & 13)
Meaning of ling ......................................................................
Signicance of Filing of the Complaint...................................
Payment of Docket Fees and Acquisition of Jurisdiction ......
Payment of Docket Fees for Cases on Appeal ........................
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Chapter V
Summons
Nature of Summons (Rule 14) .................................................
Purpose of Summons ...............................................................
To Whom Summons is Directed ..............................................
Who Serves Summons .............................................................
Duty of Server Upon Completion of Service ...........................
Uniformity of the Rules on Summons .....................................
Contents of the Summons........................................................
Service of Summons Without Copy of the Complaint ............
Service Upon an Entity Without a Juridical Personality ......
Service Upon a Prisoner ..........................................................
Service Upon a Minor and an Incompetent ............................
Service Upon a Private Domestic Juridical Entity ................
Service Upon a Public Corporation .........................................
Service Upon a Defendant Whose Identity or
Whereabouts are Unknown ............................................
Service Upon a Resident Temporarily Out of the
Philippines .......................................................................
Service Upon a Foreign Private Juridical Entity ...................
Acquisition of Jurisdiction Over the Person of the
Defendant ........................................................................
A. Service in Person on the Defendant ...............................
B. Substituted Service of Summons ....................................
How Substituted Service is Made ...........................................
When Defendant Prevents Service of Summons ....................
Illustration (Bar 2006) ....................................................
Suggested Answer ...........................................................
Illustration (Bar 2004) ....................................................
Suggested Answer ...........................................................
C. Summons by Publication ................................................
Extraterritorial Service of Summons ......................................
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Chapter VI
Proceedings After Service of Summons
Preliminary Statements ..........................................................
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B. Motion to Dismiss
A Motion to Dismiss is not a Pleading ....................................
Hypothetical Admissions of a Motion to Dismiss ...................
Omnibus Motion.......................................................................
Contents and Form of the Motion ...........................................
Time to File the Motion ...........................................................
Grounds for Motion to Dismiss ...............................................
Laches as a Ground for a Motion to Dismiss
Under Rule 16..................................................................
Res Judicata as a Ground for Motion to Dismiss ...................
Concepts of Res Judicata .........................................................
Elements of Res Judicata ........................................................
Application of Res Judicata to Quasi-Judicial
Proceedings ......................................................................
No Res Judicata in Criminal Proceedings ..............................
Pleading Grounds as Afrmative Defenses ............................
Remedy of the Defendant if the Motion is Denied .................
Remedies of the Plaintiff if the Motion to Dismiss
is Granted ........................................................................
When Complaint Cannot be Reled ........................................
Effect of Dismissal of Complaint on the Counterclaim ..........
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Chapter VII
Answer, Other Pleadings, Default, Judgment
on the Pleadings, Summary Judgment
A. Answer
Nature of an Answer ................................................................
Defenses in the Answer ...........................................................
Effect of Absence of a Specic Denial .....................................
Purpose of a Specic Denial ....................................................
Kinds of Specic Denials .........................................................
Negative Pregnant ...................................................................
When a Specic Denial Must be Coupled with an Oath ........
Matters Not Deemed Admitted by the Failure
to Make a Specic Denial................................................
Afrmative Defenses................................................................
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B. Counterclaim
Nature of a Counterclaim (Bar 1999) .....................................
Compulsory Counterclaim .......................................................
Incompatibility between a Compulsory Counterclaim
and a Motion to Dismiss .................................................
Permissive Counterclaim.........................................................
Distinctions Between a Compulsory and a
Permissive Counterclaim ................................................
How to Set up an Omitted Compulsory Counterclaim ..........
How to Set up a Counterclaim Arising After the
Filing of the Answer ........................................................
Period to Answer a Counterclaim ...........................................
Effect of the Dismissal of a Complaint on the
Counterclaim Already Set Up.........................................
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C. Cross-Claim
Nature of a Cross-Claim ..........................................................
Distinctions Between a Counterclaim and a
Cross-Claim (Bar 1999) ...................................................
Period to Answer a Cross-Claim .............................................
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E. Intervention
Nature of Intervention .............................................................
Requisites for Intervention (Bar 2000) ...................................
Procedure for Intervention ......................................................
Meaning of Legal Interest .......................................................
Time for Intervention ..............................................................
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F. Reply
Nature of a Reply .....................................................................
Filing of Reply, not Mandatory ...............................................
When Filing of Reply is Advisable ..........................................
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G. Default
Nature of Default .....................................................................
Requisites Before a Party May Be Declared in
Default (Bar 1999) ...........................................................
No Motu Proprio Declaration of Default.................................
Failure to File an Answer Under the Rule
on Summary Procedure...................................................
Effect of a Declaration/Order of Default .................................
Effect of partial Default ...........................................................
Action of the Court After the Declaration/Order
of Default .........................................................................
Judicial Discretion to Admit Answer Filed Out of Time .......
Remedies of a Defending Party Declared in
Default (Bar 1998) ...........................................................
Current Judicial Trend on Default .........................................
Implied Lifting of the Order of Default ..................................
Extent of Relief in a Judgment by Default .............................
Cases Where a Declaration/Order of Default
Cannot be Made...............................................................
Judgment by Default for Refusal to Comply
with the Modes of Discovery ...........................................
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Chapter VIII
Pre-Trial and Modes of Discovery
A. Pre-Trial
Nature and Purpose of a Pre-Trial..........................................
Referral to the Philippine Mediation Center..........................
How Pre-Trial is Called (Bar 1999).........................................
The Meaning of Last Pleading ................................................
Notice of Pre-Trial (Bar 1977) .................................................
Appearance in the Pre-Trial (Bar 1992) .................................
Effect of Failure to Appear by the Plaintiff
(Bar 1989; 1981; 1980) ....................................................
Effect of Failure to Appear by the Defendant ........................
How Non-Appearance is Excused ...........................................
Filing and Contents of Pre-Trial Briefs ..................................
Importance of Identication and Marking of Evidence .........
Legal Effect of Representations and Statements
in the Pre-trial Brief........................................................
Effect of Failure to File a Pre-Trial Brief ...............................
No Termination of Pre-Trial for Failure to Settle ..................
Questions to be Asked by the Judge .......................................
Pre-Trial Order ........................................................................
Pre-Trial in Civil Cases Compared to Pre-Trial in
Criminal Cases (Bar 1997)..............................................
Preliminary Conference Under the Revised
Rules on Summary Procedure ........................................
The Enhanced Pre-Trial Proceedings .....................................
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B. Modes of Discovery
Meaning of Discovery...............................................................
Purpose of Discovery ................................................................
Duty of the Court in Relation to the Modes of Discovery ......
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C.
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Chapter IX
Trial, Demurrer to Evidence and Judgment
A. Trial
Nature of Trial .........................................................................
Trial and Hearing ....................................................................
When Trial is Unnecessary (Bar 1996) ...................................
Notice of Trial...........................................................................
Calendaring of Cases ...............................................................
Session Hours ...........................................................................
Adjournment and Postponements ...........................................
Limitation on the Authority to Adjourn .................................
Postponement on the Ground of Illness ..................................
Postponement on the Ground of Absence of
Evidence (Bar 1975) ........................................................
Postponement is not a Matter of Right ...................................
Reception of Evidence ..............................................................
Issues in the Trial ....................................................................
Agreed Statement of Facts ......................................................
Consolidation or Severance .....................................................
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B. Demurrer to Evidence
Motion to Dismiss in Rule 16 Distinguished from
Demurrer to Evidence .....................................................
Effect of Denial of the Demurrer to Evidence ........................
Effect of Granting of the Demurrer to Evidence ....................
Demurrer in a Civil Case as Distinguished From
a Demurrer in a Criminal Case ......................................
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C. Judgment
Meaning of a Judgment ...........................................................
Judgment and Decision ...........................................................
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Chapter X
Post Judgment Remedies
I. Remedies Before a Judgment Becomes Final
and Executory
Available Remedies to the Aggrieved Party ...........................
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APPEALS
General Principles on Appeal ..................................................
Judgments or Orders that are Not Appealable ......................
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Chapter XI
Execution of Judgments
Meaning of Execution ..............................................................
Part of the Judgment to be Executed......................................
When Execution Shall Issue....................................................
How Execution Shall Issue ......................................................
Where Application for Execution Made ..................................
No Appeal from an Order of Execution...................................
Form and Contents of Writ of Execution ................................
Writ of Execution Must Conform with Judgment ..................
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Chapter XII
Provisional Remedies
Nature of Provisional Remedies ..............................................
Purpose of Provisional Remedies (Bar 1996)..........................
Court Which Grants Provisional Remedies ............................
Kinds of Provisional Remedies (Bar 1999) .............................
Deposit as a Provisional Remedy ............................................
Provisional Remedies (interim Reliefs) in
a Petition for a Writ of Amparo ......................................
Availability of Interim Reliefs to Respondent
in a Petition for a Writ of Amparo ..................................
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Chapter XIII
Special Civil Actions
Preliminaries ............................................................................
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APPENDICES
Appendix A
Republic Act No. 7691 .....................................................
753
Appendix B
Revised Rules on Summary Procedure ..........................
757
Appendix C
A.M. No. 02-11-09-SC ......................................................
763
Appendix D
A.M. No. 04-1-12-SC-PhilJa............................................
Appendix E
Rule of Procedure for Small Claims Cases.....................
Appendix F
Amendments to Rules 41, 45, 58
and 65 of the Rules of Court .........................................
765
771
777
781
802
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