Increase in the number of courts conducting mandatory continuous trial

July 27, 1989

SUPREME COURT ADMINISTRATIVE CIRCULAR NO. 35-89

 

1. Under Administrative Orders Nos. 135 and 135-A, pilot courts were designated to conduct continuous trial mandated under Administrative Circular No. 4;

2. The performance of the pilot courts indicated a need to increase the number of courts that shall conduct continuous trial pending application of the continuous trial nationwide to all trial courts;

3. The present manpower resources and support services of the trial courts including availability of lawyer's service indicate that one-half of the organized trial courts may efficiently adopt the continuous trial system in the adjudication of cases filed with said court, as recommended by the Judicial Planning Development and Implementation Office;

4. The selection of the additional courts shall be made by the Court Administrator by a raffle of the branches of all multi-sala station of the Regional Trial Courts, Shari'a District Courts, Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts in Cities, Municipal Trial Courts, Municipal Circuit Trial Courts and Shari'a Circuit Courts in all regions so that one-half of the branches in each station shall be drawn at random and included in the list of courts adopting the continuous trial system;

5. The Court Administrator shall be assisted by the existing judges' association as well as the Deputy Court Administrators in conducting the raffle;

6. In this raffle, those who have already been designated under Administrative Orders Nos. 135 and 135-A shall be considered as part of the fifty percent. Thus, if in a multi-sala station of ten branches, two are already designated, only three more branches will be drawn by raffle.

7. Where a vacancy exists in any station, the designation of an acting judge shall be made;

8. The courts in all single-sala stations shall adopt the continuous trial system;

9. Trial courts not included in the designation may adopt the continuous trial system be agreement of the parties or at the instance of the Presiding Judge when warranted by their dockets and available manpower and support services, including availability of counsel; cd i

10. The Court Administrator shall submit to the Chief Justice the list of all trial courts selected by raffle, including all courts in single-sala stations not later than August 8, 1989; and

11. Beginning September 1, 1989, all the branches of trial courts so designated shall adopt the continuous trial system in the adjudication of all cases in their courts.

July 27, 1989.

(SGD) MARCELO B. FERNAN Chief Justice