An Act Further Amending Section 34 of Act No. 190, as Amended

January 30, 1915

ACT NO. 2453

AN ACT FURTHER AMENDING SECTION THIRTY-FOUR OF ACT NUMBERED ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY, KNOWN AS "CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE," AS AMENDED BY SECTION ONE OF ACT NUMBERED NINETEEN HUNDRED AND NINETEEN, BY FIXING THE QUALIFICATIONS AND THE MAXIMUM FEES WHICH MAY BE CHARGED BY PROCURADORES JUDICIALES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

SECTION 1. Section thirty-four of Act Numbered One hundred and ninety, entitled "An Act to provide a Code of Procedure in Civil Actions and Special Proceedings in the Philippine Islands," as amended by section one of Act Numbered Nineteen hundred and nineteen, is hereby further amended so as to read as follows:

"SEC. 34. Employment of lawyers not required. — Any party may conduct his litigation in a court of a justice of the peace in person or with the aid of an agent or friend appointed by him for that purpose, or with the aid of a duly lawyer: Provided, however, That no person not duly authorized to practice law may engage in the occupation of appearing for or defending other persons in justice of the peace courts without first being authorized for that purpose by the judge of the Court of First Instance of the district within which the justice of the peace court is situated. Such authority shall only be granted to persons having the following qualifications: CSHDTE

"(1) Be a citizen of the Philippine Islands or of the United States.

"(2) Be over twenty-one years of age, have not been convicted of crimes involving moral turpitude, and

"(3) Have passed the justice of the peace or clerk of court examination, or have successfully completed the study of law in a university or reputable law school.

"The persons so authorized may charge for their services a reasonable compensation which shall not exceed twenty-five pesos for all services rendered in any one criminal or civil case. The judge of the Court of First Instance may at any time suspend any person so authorized, or may revoke the authority given him to engage in such occupation when in his judgment there exist sufficient grounds for such suspension or removal, opportunity being first given such person to be heard in his own defense. In any other court a party may conduct his litigation personally or by aid of a lawyer and his appearance must be either personal or by the aid of a duly authorized member of the bar."

SECTION 2. Present procuradores judiciales not having the qualifications above specified shall ipso facto cease in the practice of their profession on and after the passage of this Act.

SECTION 3. Any person authorized as procurador judicial who charges a fee higher than that established herein, shall be punished by a fine of not more than two hundred pesos, and the authorization granted to him by the judge of the Court of First Instance shall be withdrawn. aADSIc

SECTION 4. All Acts or parts of Acts inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed.

Enacted, January 30, 1915.