SC Issues Efficient Use of Paper Rule

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Promoting a paper-less Judiciary to protect the environment, the Supreme Court En Banc has recently

issued the Efficient Use of Paper Rule, which will maximize the use of every sheet of paper in rulings to

be issued by the court and in the pleadings to be filed by parties.

In promulgating the Rule, the Court noted that there is a need to cut the judicial system’s use of excessive

quantities of costly paper, save our forests, avoid landslides, and mitigate the worsening effects of climate

change that the world is experiencing.

To take effect on January 1 next year after its publication two newspapers of general circulation,

the Rule shall apply to all courts and quasi-judicial bodies under the administrative supervision of the

Supreme Court,

Under AM No. 11-9-4-SC (the Efficient Use of Paper Rule), the Court, under Chief Justice Maria

Lourdes P. A. Sereno, has required that all pleadings, motions, and similar papers intended for the

consideration of all courts and quasi-judicial bodies under the supervision of the Supreme Court shall be

written in single space with a one-and-a-half space between paragraphs, using an easily readable font

style of the party’s choice, of 14-size font, and on a 13-inch by 8.5-inch white bond paper.

All decisions, resolutions, and orders issued by courts and quasi-judicial bodies under the administrative

supervision of the High Tribunal, as well as reports submitted to the courts and transcripts of stenographic

notes, shall comply with the said requirements.

All court-bound papers to be submitted by every party shall likewise maintain a left hand margin of 1.5

inches from the edge; an upper margin of 1.2 inches from the edge; a right hand margin of one inch from

the edge; and a lower margin of one inch from the edge. Every page must be consecutively numbered.

The Rule also specified the number of court-bound papers in a particular court that a party is required or

desires to file unless otherwise directed by the court.

In the Supreme Court for instance, parties are required to file one original (properly marked) and four

copies, unless the case is referred to the Court En Banc, in which event, the parties shall file 10 additional

copies. For the En Banc, the parties need to submit only two sets of annexes, one attached to the original

and one extra copy. For the Division, the parties need to submit also two sets of annexes, one attached to

the original, as well as an extra copy. All members of the Court shall share the extra copies of annexes in

the interest of economy of paper.

In preparation for the eventual establishment of an e-filing paperless system in the Judiciary, the parties to

cases before the Supreme Court are further required to submit, simultaneously with their court-bound

papers, soft or electronic copies of the same and their annexes (the latter in PDF format) either by email to

the Court’s e-mail address or by compact disc. This additional requirement will be on a voluntary basis

for the first six months following the effectivity of the said Rule and compulsorily afterwards unless the

period is extended.

In the Court of Appeals and the Sandiganbayan, parties are required to submit one original (properly

marked) and two copies with their annexes; and in the Court of Tax Appeals, one original (properly

marked) and two copies with annexes, and on appeal to the En Banc, one original (properly marked) and

eight copies with annexes.

Parties before the trial courts are required to submit one original (properly marked) with the stated

annexes attached to it.

Also, a party required by the rules to serve a copy of his or her court-bound paper on the adverse party

need not enclose copies of those annexes that, based on the records of the court, show said party already
has such. In the event a party requests a set of the annexes actually filed with the court, the party who

filed the paper shall comply with the request within five days from receipt of such. (AM No. 11-9-4-

SC, Efficient Use of Paper Rule, November 13, 2012, and based on the article written by J.B.

Rempillo: http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/pio/ne

EFFICIENT USE OF PAPER RULE (A.M. NO. 11-9-4-SC)

By: pnl | March 19, 2013 in Litigation
4 Replies | Related posts at the bottom of article

Republic of the Philippines

Supreme Court
Manila

A.M. No. 11-9-4-SC

EFFICIENT USE OF PAPER RULE

Whereas, to produce 500 reams of paper, twenty trees are cut and 100,000 liters of water are used,
water that is no longer reusable because it is laden with chemicals and is just released to the
environment to poison our rivers and seas;

Whereas, there is a need to cut the judicial system’s use excessive quantities of costly paper, save
our forests, avoid landslides, and mitigate the worsening effects of climate change that the world is
experiencing;

Whereas, the judiciary can play a big part in saving our trees, conserving precious water and helping
mother earth;

NOW, THEREFORE, the Supreme Court En Banc hereby issues and promulgates the following:

Sec. 1. Title of the Rule– This rule shall be known and cited as the Efficient Use of Paper Rule.

Sec. 2. Applicability. – This rule shall apply to all courts and quasi-judicial bodies under the
administrative supervision of the Supreme Court.

Sec. 3. Format and Style. – a) All pleadings, motions and similar papers intended for the court and
quasi-judicial body’s consideration and action (court-bound papers) shall written in single space with
one-and-a –half space between paragraphs, using an easily readable font style of the party’s choice,
of 14-size font, and on a 13 –inch by 8.5- inch white bond paper; and

b) All decisions, resolutions and orders issued by courts and quasi-judicial bodies under the
administrative supervision of the Supreme Court shall comply with these requirements. Similarly
covered are the reports submitted to the courts and transcripts of stenographic notes.
Sec. 4. Margins and Prints .— The parties shall maintain the following margins on all court-bound
papers: a left hand margin of 1.5 inches from the edge; an upper margin of 1.2 inches from the edge;
a right hand margin of 1.0 inch from the edge; and a lower margin of 1.0 inch from the edge. Every
page must be consecutively numbered.

Sec. 5. Copies to be filed. – Unless otherwise directed by the court, the number of court- bound
papers that a party is required or desires to file shall be as follows:

a. In the Supreme Court, one original (properly marked) and four copies, unless the case is referred
to the Court En Banc, in which event, the parties shall file ten additional copies. For the En Banc, the
parties need to submit only two sets of annexes, one attached to the original and an extra copy. For
the Division, the parties need to submit also two sets of annexes, one attached to the original and an
extra copy. All members of the Court shall share the extra copies of annexes in the interest of economy
of paper.

Parties to cases before the Supreme Court are further required, on voluntary basis for the first six
months following the effectivity of this Rule and compulsorily afterwards unless the period is extended,
to submit, simultaneously with their court-bound papers, soft copies of the same and their annexes
(the latter in PDF format) either by email to the Court’s e-mail address or by compact disc (CD). This
requirement is in preparation for the eventual establishment of an e-filing paperless system in the
judiciary.

b. In the Court of Appeals and the Sandiganbayan, one original (properly marked) and two copies with
their annexes;

c. In the Court of Tax Appeals, one original (properly marked) and two copies with annexes. On appeal
to the En Banc, one Original (properly marked) and eight copies with annexes; and

d. In other courts, one original (properly marked) with the stated annexes attached to it.

Sec. 6. Annexes Served on Adverse Party. – A party required by the rules to serve a copy of his court-
bound on the adverse party need not enclose copies of those annexes that based on the record of the
court such party already has in his possession. In the event a party requests a set of the annexes
actually filed with the court, the part who filed the paper shall comply with the request within five days
from receipt.

Sec. 7. Date of Effectivity. – This rule shall take effect on January 1, 2013 after publication in two
newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines.

Manila, November 13, 2012.

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