Re: Program for Piloting and Assessing the Proposed Revised Rules of Civil Procedure

March 18, 2014

EN BANC

A.M. No. 14-03-02-SC

NOTICE

Sirs/Mesdames :

Please take notice that the Court en banc issued a Resolution dated March 18, 2014, which reads as follows:

"A.M. No. 14-03-02-SC (Re: Program for Piloting and Assessing the Proposed Revised Rules of Civil Procedure). — Acting on the Letter dated March 12, 2014 of Associate Justice Roberto A. Abad, the Court Resolved to APPROVE the piloting of Rule 22 (Preliminary Conference) and Rule 24 (Trial of Issues) in such court stations as the Office of the Court Administrator shall choose subject to the concurrence of the Chief Justice, based on the following scheme:

(a) Publication of Rules 22 and 24 of the proposed Revised Rules of Civil Procedure in a newspaper of general circulation at least 6 months before the start of their actual piloting in the selected stations;

(b) Pre-piloting works that include the assessment of current efficiencies for subsequent comparison, the preparation of training modules for judges and practicing lawyers, and the holding of seminars and workshops in the pilot areas; DTISaH

(c) Piloting proper under close supervision to ensure a correct understanding of the new rules and their objectives with hotlines for immediately responding to queries and addressing concerns; and

(d) Independent post-piloting evaluations and assessments by all stakeholders: the OCA (for the Court), the judges, the practicing lawyers, the litigants, and the community.

The Court further Resolved, upon the recommendation of the Sub-Committee on the Revision of the Rules of Civil Procedure, to APPROVE in principle the following proposals:

(a) The Chief Justice shall designate five Associate Justices of the Court who will head the following Study Groups: 1) General Considerations and Pre-Filing; 2) Filing of the Case, Pre-trial, to Trial; 3) Special Remedies during Trial; 4) Post-Trial; 5) Special Civil Actions;

(b) Each of the five Associate Justices shall nominate for approval by the Chief Justice five members for his Study Group, drawn from the ranks of judges, professors, and law practitioners who have expertise on the subject;

(c) Each Study Group shall for a period of six months evaluate the parts of the Rules assigned to it, discuss them with proponents, and, where disagreements exist, identify the same for presentation to a Parent Committee consisting of the five Associate Justices mentioned, headed by the Chief Justice;

(d) The Study Group 2 shall include in their evaluation and study the result of the piloting of Rules 22 and 24;

(e) The Parent Committee shall meet, deliberate on the issues presented to it by the Five Study Groups, and submit its item-by-item recommendations regarding those issues to the Court En Banc for its approval; and

(f) The Court En Banc shall, within 30 days of receipt of the above recommendations of the Parent Committee, meet in special session and vote directly to approve or disapprove each of those recommended items." Perlas-Bernabe, J., on leave. (adv42)

Very truly yours,

(SGD.) ENRIQUETA E. VIDALClerk of Court