SC sets up e-mail for new paperless filing system

An e-mail account has been set up by the Supreme Court to accommodate the first-ever electronic filing (e-filing) and paperless system in the country's judiciary, in time for the implementation of the Efficient Use of Paper Rule on Wednesday. The new rule, approved last November 13, requires parties under the supervision of the Supreme Court to submit—aside from the printed copies of their pleadings, including annexes—digital copies either through e-mail or by compact discs, with the annexes in PDF format. For the e-filing system, the high court has designated the e-mail address efile@sc.judiciary.gov.ph to which parties can send soft copies of their pleadings. "In promulgating this Rule, the Court noted the need to cut the judicial system’s use of excessive quantities of costly paper, save the forests, avoid landslides, and mitigate the worsening effects of climate change," the high court said. The e-filing system will initially be on a voluntary basis for the first six months following the effectivity of the Rule. Unless the voluntary period is extended, the e-filing would be made  compulsory after six months. Under the new rule, all pleadings, motions, and similar papers intended for the consideration of all courts and quasi-judicial bodies under the supervision of the Supreme Court must:

• be written in single space with a one-and-a-half space between paragraphs,
• use an easily readable, 14-size font style of the party’s choice,
• be printed on a 13-inch by 8.5-inch white bond paper,
• have consecutively numbered pages.

The same requirements apply to all decisions, resolutions, and orders issued by courts and quasi-judicial bodies under the Supreme Court, as well as reports submitted to the courts and transcripts of stenographic notes, the high court said. Parties should also observe the following margins for all court-bound papers:

• 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.

The Rule also specifies the number of printed copies in a particular court that a party is required to file unless otherwise directed by the court. In the Supreme Court, for instance, parties are required to file one properly marked original and four copies. But if the case is referred to the en banc, the parties will have to file 10 additional copies. For the en banc, the parties would need to submit only two sets of annexes, one attached to the original and one extra copy. For the Supreme Court divisions, the parties need to submit also two sets of annexes, one attached to the original, as well as an extra copy. Meanwhile, the extra copies of annexes will have to be shared by all members of the court "in the interest of economy of paper." — Mark D. Merueñas/KBK, GMA News