Documents can be 'e-filed' at Supreme Court beginning Jan. 1

Starting January 1, parties wishing to file motions and other documents before the Supreme Court may do so through e-mail. The e-mail address efile@sc.judiciary.gov.ph, set by the high court's Management Information System Office, is part of preparations for an e-filing paperless system in the Judiciary. "This is pursuant to the Efficient Use of Paper Rule which takes effect on January 1, 2013 after its publication in two newspapers of general circulation. 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 in a news release posted on its website. E-filing requires parties before the Supreme Court to submit soft or electronic copies of their documents simultaneously with their court-bound papers. Such soft copies should be in PDF format, and sent by email to the Court’s e-mail address or by compact disc (CD). Initially, e-filing will be on a voluntary basis for the first six months of the new rule, but will be compulsory afterward. The "Efficient Use of Paper Rule" memorandum also lists guidelines for hard copies of documents for courts and quasi-judicial bodies under the Supreme Court's supervision. — BM, GMA News