Act No. 140

by the Government of the Philippine Islands

United States Philippine Commission

[ Act No. 140 ]

AN ACT DEFINING THE JUDICIAL DISTRICTS OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, PRESCRIBING THE SALARIES OF THE JUDGES THEREOF, AND THE TIMES WHEN AND THE PLACES WHERE TERMS OF COURTS OF THE FIRST INSTANCE SHALL BE HELD IN THE SEVERAL DISTRICTS.

By authority of the President of the United States, be it enacted by the United States Philippine Commission, that:

SECTION 1.

The following judicial districts for Courts of First Instance in the Philippine Islands are hereby established:

The city of Manila shall constitute one judicial district, to be known as the Judicial District of Manila, and the other judicial districts shall severally consist of the provinces and islands as hereinafter stated.

The first Judicial District shall consist of the Provinces of Ilocos Norte, Cagayan, Isabela, and Nueva Viscaya.

The Second Judicial District shall consist of the Provinces of Ilocos Sur, Abra, Bontoc, and Lepanto.

The Third Judicial District shall consist of the Provinces of Union, Benguet, Pangasinan, and Zambales.

The Fourth Judicial District shall consist of the Provinces of Tarlac, Pampanga, and Nueva Ecija.

The Fifth Judicial District shall consist of the Provinces of Bulacan, Bataan, and Rizal.

The Sixth Judicial District shall consist of the Provinces of Laguna, Cavite, Principe, Tayabas, Infanta, and the Island of Polillo.

The Seventh Judicial District shall consist of the Provinces of Batangas, Marinduqe, and Mindoro.

The Eighth Judicial District shall consist of the Provinces of Sorsogon, Albay, Ambos Camarines, Masbate, and shall include also the Island of Catanduanes.

The Ninth Judicial District shall consist of the Provinces of Romblon, Capiz, and Iloilo.

The Tenth Judicial District shall consist of the Provinces of Antique, Occidental Negros, and Oriental Negros.

The Eleventh Judicial District shall consist of the Provinces of Cebu and Bohol.

The Twelfth Judicial District shall consist of the Provinces of Samar, Leyte, and Surigao.

The Thirteenth Judicial District shall consist of the Provinces of Misamis, the Island of Basilan, and the districts of the Island of Mindanao known as Zamboanga, Cottabato, and Davao, and the Comandancia of Dapitan.

The Fourteenth Judicial District shall consist of the Island of Paragua, with its contiguous small islands, the Tawi-Tawi group, the Jolo group, the Calamianes group, and the Cuyos group.

SEC. 2.

The annual salaries of the judges of the Courts of First Instance for the several districts shall be as follows, payable monthly:

For the Second, Thirteenth, and Fourteenth Districts, three thousand dollars.

For the First District, three thousand five hundred dollars.

For the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Districts, four thousand dollars.

For the Third, Fourth, Tenth, and Twelfth Districts, four thousand five hundred dollars.

For the Ninth and Eleventh Districts, five thousand dollars.

For the District of Manila, five thousand five hundred dollars.

SEC. 3.

The several judges of judicial districts shall hold regular terms of a Court of First Instance within their districts, at the times and places hereinafter prescribed:

MANILA.

In and for the city of Manila, commencing on the first Mondays of January, April, July, and October.

FIRST DISTRICT.

At Laoag, in and for the Province of Ilocos Norte, commencing on the first Tuesdays of January and July of each year.

At Tuguegarao, in and for the Province of Cagayan, commencing on the third Tuesdays of February and August of each year.

At Iligan, in and for the Province of Isabela, commencing on the first Tuesdays of April and October of each year.

At Bayombong, in and for the Province of Nueva Vizeaya, commencing on the first Tuesdays of May and November of each year.

SECOND DISTRICT.

At Vigan, in and for the Province of Ilocos Sur, commencing on the first Tuesdays of January, May, July, and November of each year.

At Bangued, in and for the Province of Abra, commencing on the third Tuesdays of February and August of each year.

At Cayan, in the Province of Lepanto, for the Provinces of Bontoc and Lepanto, on the first Tuesdays of April and October each year.

THIRD DISTRICT.

At Lingayen, in and for the Province of Pangasinan, commencing on the first Tuesdays of January, May, July, and November of each year.

At San Fernando, in the Province of Union, for the Provinces of Union and Benguet, commencing on the third Tuesdays of February and August of each year.

But the judge may, at any time not inconsistent with the other dates hereby fixed for sessions of court within his district, hold a special session of the court at

Baguio in and for the Province of Benguet.

At Iba, in and for the Province of Zambales, commencing on the first Tuesdays of April and October of each year.

FOURTH DISTRICT.

At Bacolor, in and for the Province of Pampanga, commencing on the first Tuesdays of January, May, July, and November of each year.

At Tarlac, in and for the Province of Tarlac, commencing on the third Tuesdays of February and August of each year.

At San Isidro, in and for the Province of Nueva Bcija, commencing on the first Tuesdays of April and October of each year.

FIFTH DISTRICT.

At Pasig, in and for the Province of Rizal, commencing on the first Tuesdays of January, May, July, and November of each year.

At Malolos, in and for the Province of Bulacan, commencing on the third Tuesdays of February and August of each year.

At Balanga, in and for the Province of Bataan, commencing on the first Tuesdays of April and October of each year.

SIXTH DISTRICT.

At Santa Cruz, in and for the Province of Laguna, commencing on the first Tuesdays of January and July of each year.

At Cavite, in and for the Province of Cavite, commencing on the third Tuesdays of February and August of each year.

At Lucena, in the Province of Tayabas, for all that part of the Province of Tayabas lying on the southern side of the mountain range, including the municipalities of Quilbay, Guinayangan and San Narciso, commencing on the first Tuesdays of April and October of each year.

At Mauban, in the Province of Tayabas, for all that part of the Province of Tayabas lying on the northern or Pacific side of the mountain range, and for the

Provinces of Infanta and Principe, and the Island of Polillo, commencing on the first Tuesdays of May and November of each year.

All actions which by the law of venue prescribed in the Code of Civil Procedure would be triable in the southern half of the Province of Tayabas, shall be triable at Lucena, and all those which by the same law would be triable in the northern or Pacific half of that province, shall be triable at Mauban.

SEVENTH DISTRICT.

At Batangas, in and for the Province of Batangas, commencing on the first Tuesdays of January, May, July, and November of each year.

At Boac, in and for the Province of Marinduqe, commencing on the third Tuesdays of February and August of each year.

At Calapan, in and for the Province of Mindoro, commencing on the first Tuesdays of April and October of each year.

EIGHTH DISTRICT.

At Nueva Caceres, in the Province of Ambos Camarines, for the territory known as Camarines Sur, commencing on the first Tuesdays of January and July of each year.

At Daet, in the Province of Ambos Camarines, for the territory known as Camarines Norte, commencing on the first Tuesdays of June and December of each year.

At Albay, in and for the Province of Albay, and for the Island of Catanduanes, commencing on the third Tuesdays of February and August of each year.

At Sorsogon, in and for the Province of Sorsogon, commencing on the first Tuesdays of April and October of each year.

NINTH DISTRICT.

At. Iloilo, in and for the Province of Iloilo, commencing on the first Tuesdays of January, May, July, and November of each year.

At Capiz, in and for the Province of Capiz, commencing on the third Tuesdays of February and August of each year.

At Romblon, in and for the Province of Romblon, commencing on the first Tuesdays of April and October of each year.

TENTH DISTRICT.

At Bacalod, in and for the Province of Occidental Negros, commencing on the first Tuesdays of January, May, July, and November of each year.

At Dumaguete, in and for the Province of Oriental Negros, commencing on the third Tuesdays of February and August of each year.

At San Jose, in and for the Province of Antique, commencing on the first Tuesdays of April and October of each year.

ELEVENTH DISTRICT.

At Cebu, in and for the northern half of the Island of Cebu, commencing on the first Tuesdays of January, May, July, and November of each year.

At Barili, in and for the southern half of the Island of Cebu, commencing on the third Tuesdays of February and August of each year.

For the purposes of this Act, the southern half of the Island of Cebu shall consist of the pueblos of Barili, Daan-Bantayan, San Remigio, Medellin, Bantayan, Santa Fe, Tuburan, Asturias, Balamban, Toledo, Pinamungajan, Aloguinsan, Dumanjug, Ronda, Moalboal, Alcantara, Badian, Alegria, Malaboyoc, Ginatilan, Sambuan, San Sebastian.

And the northern half shall consist of the remaining pueblos of the Province of Cebu.

All actions which by the law of venue prescribed in the Code of Civil Procedure would be triable in the northern half of Cebu, shall be triable at Cebu; and all those which by the same law would be triable in the southern half of Cebu, shall be triable at Barili.

At Tagbilaran, in and for the Province of Bohol, commencing on the first Tuesdays of April and October of each year.

TWELFTH DISTRICT.

At Tacloban, in and for the northern half of the Province of Leyte, commencing on the first Tuesdays of January and July of each year; and

At Maasin, in and for the southern half of the Province of Leyte, commencing on the third Tuesdays' of February and August of each year.

For the purposes of this Act, the northern half of Leyte shall include the following municipalities: Abuyoc, Alangalang, Almeria, Barugo, Babatugon, Burauen, Biliran, Carigara, Capoocan, Caibiran, Dagami, Dulag, Jaro, Leyte, Naval, Pastrana, Palo, San Isidro, San Miguel, Tolosa, Tanauan, Tacloban, Tabon-Tabon, Villaba, Cajagnaan, Maripipi, Malibago;

And the southern half shall consist of the remaining municipalities of the Province of Leyte.

All actions which by the law of venue prescribed in the Code of Civil Procedure would be triable in the northern half of the Province of Leyte shall be triable at Tacloban, and all those which by the same law would be triable in the southern half of the Province of Leyte shall be triable at Maasin.

At Surigao, in and for the Province of Surigao, commencing on the first Tuesdays of April and October of each year.

At Catbalogan, in and for the Province of Samar, commencing on the first Tuesdays of May and November of each year.

THIRTEENTH DISTRICT.

At Cagayan, in and for the Province of Misamis, commencing on the first Tuesdays of January and July of each year.

At Dapitan, in and for the Comandancia of Dapitan, commencing on the third Tuesdays of February and August of each year.

At Zamboanga, in and for the district known as Zamboanga, commencing on the second Tuesdays of March and September of each year.

At Cottabato, in and for the district known as Cottabato, commencing on the second Tuesdays of April and October of each year.

At Davao, in and for the district known as Davao, commencing on the fourth Tuesdays of April and October of each year.

At Basilan, in and for the Island of Basilan, commencing on the second Tuesdays of May and November of each year.

FOURTEENTH DISTRICT.

At Jolo, in and for the Jolo group, commencing on the first Tuesdays of January and July of each year.

At Bongao, in and for the Tawi-Tawi group, commencing on the third Tuesdays of February and August of each year.

At Puerto Princesa, in the Island of Paragua, for the Island of Paragua and its adjacent islands, commencing on the first Tuesdays of April and October of each year.

At Cuyo, in the Cuyo Islands, for the Calamiancs Islands and the Cuyo Islands, commencing on the first Tuesdays of May and November of each year.

SEC. 4.

Actions triable in Courts of First Instance and arising in any island not included within any province, and not in this Act specifically mentioned, shall be triable in the Court of First Instance held in that island or province nearest to the island in which the cause of action shall arise.

SEC. 5.

A judge of the Court of First Instance may hold a special term of court at any time, when in his opinion the public good so requires, at a place provided by this Act for holding regular terms of court in his district. The proceedings of the court at such special term shall be in all respects as valid and effective as though had at the regular term.

SEC. 6.

A judge of First Instance shall have power to issue writs of injunction and to make orders appointing receivers in causes pending in a Court of First Instance within his district and all other preliminary and interlocutory orders, when he is within the district but without the province; and to hear and determine, when within the district but without the province, any interlocutory motion or issue after due and reasonable notice to the parties; but all final hearings shall be had within the province unless the parties by their counsel consent to a hearing at a place not within the province: Provided, however, That after the final hearing is had, the final order or judgment may be entered by the clerk of the court at any time thereafter upon the written direction of the judge if signed by him at any place within his district.

On the filing of a petition for the writ of habeas corpus or for release upon bail or reduction of bail in any Court of First Instance, the hearing may be had at any place in the district which the judge shall deem convenient. All criminal trials must be tried at the place designated in the law as the place at which the court having jurisdiction thereof shall be held.

SEC. 7.

This Act shall take effect on its passage.

Enacted, June 12, 1901.