A judge shall dispose of the court’s business promptly and decide cases within the required periods. - A.M. No. RTJ-11-2291

A.M. No. RTJ-11-2291

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This Court has always impressed upon judges the necessity of deciding cases with dispatch.Section 5 of Canon 6 of the New Code of Conduct for the Philippine Judiciary states that “[j]udges shall perform all judicial duties, including the delivery of reserved decisions, efficiently, fairly, and with reasonable promptness.” Rule 3.05 of the Code of Judicial Conduct states that “[a] judge shall dispose of the court’s business promptly and decide cases within the required periods.” Canon 6 of the Canons of Judicial Ethics provides that “[a judge] should be prompt in disposing of all matters submitted to him, remembering that justice delayed is often justice denied.” Section 15(2), Article VIII of the 1987 Constitution requires that judges of lower courts decide cases within three months from the date of submission.¹⁰

This Court has repeatedly reminded judges that they must resolve matters pending before them promptly and expeditiously within the constitutionally mandated three-month period. If they cannot comply with the same, they should ask for an extension from the Supreme Court upon meritorious grounds. The rule is that the reglementary period for deciding cases should be observed by all judges, unless they have been granted additional time.

Judges must dispose of the court’s business promptly. Delay in the disposition of cases erodes the faith and confidence of our people in the judiciary, lowers its standards, and brings it to disrepute. Hence, judges are enjoined to decide cases with dispatch. Their failure to do so constitutes gross inefficiency and warrants the imposition of administrative sanctions on them.¹¹

Undue delay in rendering a decision or order is a less serious charge,¹² penalized either by suspension from office without salary and other benefits for not less than one nor more than three months; or by a fine of more than P10,000.00 but not exceeding P20,000.00.¹³ We consider, however, that Judge Mantua’s earnest efforts in attending to the pending cases in his docket during his incumbency serve to negate his liability.

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