Physical Closure of Courts in Enhanced Community Quarantine and Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine Areas
The Supreme Court Administrative Circular No. 22-2021 mandates the physical closure of courts in areas under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) and Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) until April 30, 2021. During this period, courts will continue operations through videoconferencing, allowing judges to conduct remote hearings without prior approval. The deadlines for filing and serving pleadings and motions are suspended and will resume seven days after courts reopen. Essential judicial offices are required to maintain a skeleton staff to address urgent matters.
Law Information
- Reference Number
- Supreme Court Administrative Circular No. 22-2021
- Date Enacted
- Category
- Supreme Court Issuances
- Subcategory
- Administrative Circulars
- Jurisdiction
- Philippines
- Enacting Body
- Congress of the Philippines
Full Law Text
April 14, 2021
SUPREME COURT ADMINISTRATIVE CIRCULAR NO. 22-2021
| TO | : | All Concerned Justices, Judges and Concerned Court Personnel, and Court Users |
| RE | : | Physical Closure of Courts in Enhanced Community Quarantine and Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine Areas |
Considering that the National Capital Region, and the provinces of Abra, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Quirino and Rizal, and Santiago City are under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) until 30 April 2021, the physical closure of courts in the said areas is likewise extended to 30 April 2021.
The courts in other areas under localized Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) and MECQ shall likewise be physically closed for the duration of such ECQ or MECQ.
All the physically closed courts in areas under ECQ and MECQ may be reached through the listed Judiciary hotlines and email addresses as posted in the Supreme Court website.
The courts in these areas shall continue to operate through videoconferencing as far as practicable. Judges may conduct fully remote videoconferencing hearings on pending cases and other matters, whether urgent or not, regardless of their physical location and without prior permission from the Office of the Court Administrator.
The time for filing and service of pleadings and motions during this period is SUSPENDED and shall resume seven (7) calendar days counted from the first day of physical reopening of the relevant court.
The essential judicial offices shall maintain the necessary skeleton staff to attend to all URGENT matters.
(SGD.) ALEXANDER G. GESMUNDOChief Justice
Cite This Law
Physical Closure of Courts in Enhanced Community Quarantine and Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine Areas, Supreme Court Administrative Circular No. 22-2021, Apr 14, 2021 (Philippines)
Physical Closure of Courts in Enhanced Community Quarantine and Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine Areas, Supreme Court Administrative Circular No. 22-2021 (Phil. 2021)
Related Laws
- Extending the Coverage of Administrative Circular No. 21-2021 to Courts in Areas under Modified Enhanced Community QuarantineOCA Circular No. 47-2021 • Apr 11, 2021 • Supreme Court Issuances
- Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine in Certain Areas until 31 May 2020Supreme Court Administrative Circular No. 39-2020 • May 14, 2020 • Supreme Court Issuances
- Extension of the Enhanced Community Quarantine in Certain Areas until 15 May 2020Supreme Court Administrative Circular No. 35-2020 • Apr 27, 2020 • Supreme Court Issuances
- Required Reports during Community Quarantine PeriodOCA Circular No. 99-2020 • Jun 1, 2020 • Supreme Court Issuances
- Extension of Enhanced Community Quarantine over Luzon until 30 April 2020Supreme Court Administrative Circular No. 34-2020 • Apr 8, 2020 • Supreme Court Issuances
- Operational Capacity to be Adopted by Government Agencies and Instrumentalities during a Modified Enhanced Community QuarantineMemorandum Circular No. 79 • Aug 3, 2020 • Presidential Issuances
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