The Supreme Court (SC) has approved changes to the territorial jurisdiction of two Family Courts (FC) in Zamboanga del Norte—Branch 3-FC in Dipolog City and Branch 4-FC in Dapitan City—both part of the 9^th Judicial Region.

The move aims to balance the number of cases handled by each court, improve access to justice, and enhance the delivery of judicial service.

In a Resolution dated May 20, 2025, the SC En Banc, adopted the recommendation of the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) to transfer three municipalities in Zamboanga del Norte from Branch 3-FC, Dipolog City, to Branch 4-FC, Dapitan City.

Before the transfer, Branch 3-FC covered Dipolog City and the municipalities of Mutia, Piñan, and Polanco, while Branch 4-FC handled cases from Dapitan City and the municipalities of Sibutad, Rizal, and La Libertad.

The OCA found a significant difference in the caseloads between the two courts. In 2024, Branch 3-FC, Dipolog City, had 1,285 pending cases, while Branch 4-FC, Dapitan City, only had 408.

To address the disparity, the SC removed the municipalities of Mutia, Piñan, and Polanco from Branch 3-FC and transferred these to Branch 4-FC.

With the latest adjustment, Branch 4-FC covers Dapitan City and the municipalities of Sibutad, Rizal, La Libertad, Mutia, Piñan, and Polanco. All new family cases from these areas must now be filed with Branch 4-FC, Dapitan City.

Pending family cases from Mutia, Piñan, and Polanco will also be transferred to Branch 4-FC, Dapitan City, if they have not yet reached the pre-trial stage (for civil cases) or arraignment (for criminal cases), as of the Resolution’s effectivity date. Cases already in pre-trial or arraignment, as well as archived cases, will remain with Branch 3-FC, Dipolog City.

Family courts have the authority to handle child and family cases in their areas. Republic Act No. 8369, or the Family Courts Act of 1997, mandates the creation of Family Courts in every province and city to help preserve family unity, encourage reconciliation, and promote the peaceful resolution of family disputes.

The 1987 Constitution empowers the SC to set rules governing the courts’ exercise of their jurisdiction. Batas Pambansa Blg. 129, or the Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980, as amended, further authorizes the SC to define the territorial coverage of trial courts and designate specific branches to exclusively handle certain types of cases.

The Resolution took effect 15 days after its publication in two newspapers on August 31, 2025.  (Press release courtesy of the SC Office of the Spokesperson)

This press release is prepared for members of the media and the general public as a simplified summary of the SC’s Resolution. For the SC’s full complete discussion of the case, please read the full text of the Resolution in A.M. No. 20-12-170-RTC (Re: Definition of the Territorial Jurisdictions of Family Courts for Regions IX and XI) May 20, 2025.