CIVIL PROCEDURE: BARITUA VS MERCADER (Jurisprudence)

G.R. No. 136048 January 23, 2001

DOCTRINE OF ADHERENCE OF JURISDICTION

Generally. the jurisdiction of a court is determined by the statute in force at the commencement of the action, unless such statute provides for its retroactive application. Once the jurisdiction of a court attaches, it continues until the case is finally terminated. The trial court cannot be ousted therefrom by subsequent happenings or events, although of a character that would have prevented jurisdiction from attaching in the first instance.