SC CIRCULAR NO. 30-91, September 30, 1991

OFFICE OF THE COURT ADMINISTRATOR

For Your information and guidance, quoted hereunder is the
Resolution of the Court En Banc dated February 26, 1991:

“Re: Guidelines on the Functions of the Office of the Court
Administrator. – The Court Resolved to APPROVE the guidelines on the functions
of the Office of the Court Administrator, to wit:

GUIDELINES ON THE FUNCTIONS OF THE OFFICE OF THE COURT
ADMINISTRATOR

1. General Considerations

A. The Supreme Court exercises administrative supervision over
all lower courts. In the discharge of its administrative functions, the Court is
assisted by the Court Administrations (P.D. No. 828, as amended by P.D. No.
842). This Court thus acts through the court administrators in the exercise of
its administrative functions, (See A.M. No. 343-RTJ In Re: RTC Judge of Balanga,
Bataan).

B. The rationalism of the allocation of duties and functions of
the Office of the Court Administrator is needed for a more systematic
workflow.

C. The work attended to by the Office of the Court
Administrator either on its responsibility or with the approval of the Court En
Banc, may be classified into the following categories:

II. Matters to be attended by the Court En Banc.

A. Disciplinary Matters

1. Justices and Judges. – Judicial discipline matters involving
   the justices and judges of all lower courts (Court of Appeals, Sandiganbayan,
   Court of Tax Appeals, Regional Trial Courts, Metropolitan Trial Courts, MTCC,
   MTCC, MCTC, Shari’a Courts) filed with the Office of the Court Administrator or
   the lower courts shall be immediately referred to the Court En Banc for
   appropriate action.

2. Lower Court Personnel

a. Light offenses –

(1) Disciplinary matters involving light offenses as defined under
the Civil Service Law (Administrative Code of 1987, and the Code of Conduct and
Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees. (Rep. Act 6713) where the
penalty its reprimand, suspension for not more than thirty days, or a fine not
exceeding thirty days salary, and as classified in Civil Service Resolution No.
30, Series of 1989, shall be acted upon by the appropriate supervatory official
of the lower courts concerned.

(2) The appropriate supervisory officials are the Presiding
Justice/Presiding Judge of the lower collegiate courts and te Executive Judges
of the trial court with respect to the personnel of their respective courts,
except those directly under the individual Justices, in which case; the latter
shall be their appropriate supervisory officials.

(3) The complaint for light offenses whether filed directly
with the Court, the Office of the Court Administrator, or the lower court shall
be heard and decided by the appropriate supervisory official
concerned.

b. Grave Or Less Grave Offenses

All administrative compliance for grave or less grave offenses
as defined in the Codes hereinbefore referred to shall be immediately referred
to the Court En Banc for appropriate action within 15 days from receipt
by the Court Administrator if filed directly with him, otherwise, within 15 days
likewise from receipt by him from the appropriate supervisory officials
concerned.

c. Conduct of Investigation

 

(1) The investigation of administrative complaints by the
appropriate supervisory officials shall, as much as practicable, conform with
the Rules of Procedure established by the Civil Service Commission under
Resolution No. 89-779.

(2) In light offenses, the respondent may appeal to the Court
En Banc, within 30 days from receipt of the administrative decision but
appeal shall not stay enforcement thereof unless otherwise ordered by the
Court En Bane or any Division to which the case may be
assigned.

B. Designation of. Judges

Appointments of all lower court personnel shall be processed by
the Office of the Court Administrator, assisted by the Administrative Division,
in accordance with the guidelines of the Court En Banc dated April 9,
1987. A list of proposed appointees shall be submitted to the Court En
Banc and their Commission shall be signed by the Court Administrator or the
Deputy Court Administrators upon approval of their appointments by the Court
En Banc. Any protest against these appointments shall be resolved by the
Court En Banc.

B. Public Assistance and Information

The Office of the Court Administration shall attend to all
matters of public assistance and information, requested for expeditious action
on pending cases in the lower courts, indorsements from other government
agencies and other matters which do not involve administrative or judicial
adjudications, including queries on status of cases in the lower courts and on
such other matters relative to pertinent circulars, memoranda, or administrative
orders of the Supreme Court.

C. Other Administrative Matters

1. Request of judges and court personnel for advice on routine
   administrative matters where the Court has laid down guiding
   policies;

2. Administrative problems of lower courts regarding assignment,
   detail and transfer of court personnel;

3. Applications for leave of absence of judges and court
   personnel in accordance with policies laid down by the Court;

4. Applications for compulsory retirement of judges and court
   personnel;

5. Confirmation or approval of designations of court personnel
   as Officers-in-Charge of the offices of the Clerk of Court and Branch Clerk of
   Court;

6. Financial matters such as (a) Claims for counsel de
   oficio fees, (b) Travel expense vouchers of judges and employees of the
   lower courts, (c) Payrolls of judges and personnel of the lower courts, and (d)
   Bugetary proposals;

7. Amendments, modifications or revocation of designations
   extended by Executive Judges to Acting Municipal Trial Court Judges in the
   exercise of their power under Administrative Order No. 6, Series of
   1975;

8. Designation of non-court employees possessing special skills
   or qualification such as interpreters for deaf and dumb or witnesses who speak
   only foreign languages;

9. Withholding, suspension and release of salaries of judges,
   clerks of court or branch clerks of court or personnel in charge who fail to
   submit their respective monthly reports.

10. Periodic investigation and audit of the conditions of lower
    courts and their dockets;

11. Requests of judges and court personnel for permission to
    travel abroad;

12. Request of judges and court personnel for authority to travel
    outside of their stations (within the country) or to attend local seminars on
    official time, and to issue the corresponding certificates of
    appearance;

13. Circulation of pertinent decrease, letters of instruction,
    proclamations or circulars of the Office of the President and/or of the Court or
    the Chief Justice;

14. Providing technical support and assistance in personnel
    training, seminars, dialogues and other development programs for judges and
    court personnel approved by the Court;

15. Reported destruction of records of cases, properties and
    equipment of all lower courts;

16. Providing technical support and assistance in personnel
    training, seminars, dialogue and other development programs for judges and court
    personnel approved by the Court;

17. Reported destruction of records of cases, properties and
    equipment of all lower courts;

18. Payment of per diems and transportation expenses of detailed
    judges and court personnel under the existing policies of the
    Court;

19. Action on other matters that the Court or the Chief Justice
    may assign relative of lower courts;

20. Supervision of the personnel in the Office of the Court
    Administrator.

The Office of the Court Administrator shall be responsible for
all liason and coordination activities with the Legislative and Executive
departments as well as with local government officials and the military, subject
to the following guidelines: