Rules to hasten court process

NEW RULES on litigation and case disposition will be issued to hasten workflow in courts nationwide, the Supreme Court spokesman said yesterday.

Jose Midas P. Marquez, who is concurrent court administrator, said that the guidelines are pending approval by the Supreme Court and will be pilot-tested for a year at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court, one of the largest lower-level courts in the country.

If proven effective, he said, the program will be implemented nationwide.
The significant guidelines are:

• limiting pleadings and motions, except for complaints, answers and replies, to 20 pages each, double-space and a size 14 font, while supplemental pleadings can only be filed upon permission of the court;

• setting a maximum of three postponements for each party to a case, otherwise the court can proceed hearing the case even without the presence of the party;

• allowing the submission of affidavits in lieu of direct testimony, and that the party presenting the affidavit will be allowed to confirm its veracity and respond to cross-examination;

• if a party has less than 12 pieces of evidence to present, the offer of evidence, the comment and the ruling shall be made orally; and

• the Integrated Bar of the Philippines will be compelled to submit a list of lawyers who can render free legal aid to poor parties who did not receive assistance from the Public Attorney’s Office.

Mr. Marquez said that the rules are expected to hasten trial proceedings and the decongestion of dockets.

“We have noticed some lawyers who file so many motions and pleadings with up to 75 pages, where the arguments can be reduced to 15 pages,” he said.

“It also helps to shorten the period or expedite resolution of cases. You don’t only limit the use of paper, but actually limit the length of pleadings filed before court, so judges will have more time to study the pleadings in the case.”
==============================================================================
By: NRM
Source: Business World, Sept. 21, 2011
To view the original article, click here.