Canon 1427. §1 If there is a controversy between religious, or houses of the same clerical religious institute of pontifical right, the judge at first instance, unless the
constitutions provide otherwise, is the provincial Superior or, if an autonomous monastery is concerned, the local Abbot.

§2 Without prejudice to a different provision in the constitutions, when a contentious matter arises between two provinces, the supreme Moderator, either personally or through a delegate, will be the judge at first instance. If the controversy is between two monasteries, the Abbot superior of the monastic congregation will be the judge.

§3 Finally, if a controversy arises between physical or juridical persons of different religious institutes or even of the same clerical institute of diocesan right or of the same lay institute, or between a religious person and a secular cleric or a lay person or a non-religious juridical person, it is the diocesan tribunal which judges at first instance.

§1. Si controversia sit inter religiosos vel domos eiusdem instituti religiosi clericalis iuris pontificii, iudex primae instantiae, nisi aliud in constitutionibus caveatur, est Superior provincialis, aut, si monasterium sit sui iuris, Abbas localis.

§2. Salvo diverso constitutionum praescripto, si res contentiosa agatur inter duas provincias, in prima instantia iudicabit per se ipse vel per delegatum supremus Moderator; si inter duo monasteria, Abbas superior congregationis monasticae.

§3. Si demum controversia enascatur inter religiosas personas physicas vel iuridicas diversorum institutorum religiosorum, aut etiam eiusdem instituti clericalis iuris dioecesani vel laicalis, aut inter personam religiosam et clericum saecularem vel laicum vel personam iuridicam non religiosam, iudicat in prima instantia tribunal dioecesanum.