ADMINISTRATIVE
ORDER NO. 134-92
RE: PAIRING
SYSTEM
FOR SINGLE SALA STATIONS.
Circular No. 7 dated
September 23, 1974 establishes a pairing system for multiple sala
stations
to expedite resolution of urgent matters requiring immediate action
whenever
the presiding judge of one branch is temporarily absent and/or unable
to
act without an acting judge having been particularly designated.
However,
no pairing system has been laid down for single sala stations.
Consequently,
a pairing system for single sala stations is hereby established as
follows:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
(1)
Whenever the
presiding judge of a single sala station is temporarily absent and no
acting
judge has yet been designated, the clerk of court or branch clerk, upon
request of any party, shall refer any urgent matter requiring immediate
action to the nearest presiding judge of the appropriate Regional Trial
Court or Municipal Trial Court with jurisdiction to act on the matter.
Such presiding judge is authorized to hear and resolve any urgent
matters,
including applications for restraining orders, injunctions and other
matters
requiring immediate attention prior to the return of the regular judge
or the assignment of an acting judge, without prejudice to any
subsequent
action that may be taken by the judge to whom the particular case is
eventually
assigned. If the nearest trial court is a multi-sala station, the
matter
shall be referred to the Executive Judge, or in his absence, the
presiding
judge authorized to act for the Executive Judge.
(2) The
clerk of
court, before making such referral to the nearest presiding judge of
the
same level, shall certify that the presiding judge is temporarily
absent
and no judge has been designated to act for the branch. The RTC
Executive
Judge with jurisdiction over the temporarily absent MTC judge, or the
Court
Administrator in the case of temporarily absent RTC judges, shall
immediately
be notified of said referral.
(3) The
pairing judge
shall act on all matters pertaining to the station of the temporarily
absent
judge in the latter’s court, utilizing the personnel and facilities of
said court. His attendance in the court of temporarily absent judge
shall
be deemed to be on official business. However, if his travel to the
court
of the absent judge would cause delay in the trial or disposition of
cases
of his own court, he may act on all matters pertaining to the other
court
in his own station.
(4) If
there are
two or more single sala courts more or less equidistant from the court
of the absent judge, referral shall be made to the Presiding Judge most
senior in station, or if the judges are of equal seniority, then to the
Presiding Judge with the least number of pending cases.cralaw:red
This
Administrative
Order shall take effect upon its publication in a newspaper of general
circulation.
July 16,
1992.
[Sgd.]
ANDRES
R. NARVASAChief
Justice |