SUPREME COURT CIRCULAR RELATIVE TO COURT PLEADINGS

A.M. No. 12-8-8-SC

JUDICIAL AFFIDAVIT RULE

Section 1. Scope. - (a) This Rule shall apply to all actions, proceedings, and incidents requiring
the reception of evidence before:
(1) The Metropolitan Trial Courts, the Municipal Trial Courts in Cities, the Municipal Trial
Courts, the Municipal Circuit Trial Courts, and the Shari' a Circuit Courts but shall not apply to
small claims cases under A.M. 08-8-7-SC;
(2) The Regional Trial Courts and the Shari'a District Courts;
(3) The Sandiganbayan, the Court of Tax Appeals, the Court of Appeals, and the Shari'a
Appellate Courts;
(4) The investigating officers and bodies authorized by the Supreme Court to receive evidence,
including the Integrated Bar of the Philippine (IBP); and
(5) The special courts and quasi-judicial bodies, whose rules of procedure are subject to
disapproval of the Supreme Court, insofar as their existing rules of procedure contravene the
provisions of this Rule.1
(b) For the purpose of brevity, the above courts, quasi-judicial bodies, or investigating officers
shall be uniformly referred to here as the "court."
Section 2. Submission of Judicial Affidavits and Exhibits in lieu of direct testimonies. - (a) The
parties shall file with the court and serve on the adverse party, personally or by licensed
courier service, not later than five days before pre-trial or preliminary conference or the
scheduled hearing with respect to motions and incidents, the following:
(1) The judicial affidavits of their witnesses, which shall take the place of such witnesses' direct
testimonies; and
(2) The parties' documentary or object evidence, if any, which shall be attached to the judicial
affidavits and marked as Exhibits A, B, C, and so on in the case of the complainant or the
plaintiff, and as Exhibits 1, 2, 3, and so on in the case of the respondent or the defendant.
(b) Should a party or a witness desire to keep the original document or object evidence in his
possession, he may, after the same has been identified, marked as exhibit, and authenticated,
warrant in his judicial affidavit that the copy or reproduction attached to such affidavit is a
faithful copy or reproduction of that original. In addition, the party or witness shall bring the
original document or object evidence for comparison during the preliminary conference with
the attached copy, reproduction, or pictures, failing which the latter shall not be admitted.
This is without prejudice to the introduction of secondary evidence in place of the original
when allowed by existing rules.
Section 3. Contents of judicial Affidavit. - A judicial affidavit shall be prepared in the language
known to the witness and, if not in English or Filipino, accompanied by a translation in English
or Filipino, and shall contain the following:
(a) The name, age, residence or business address, and occupation of the witness;
(b) The name and address of the lawyer who conducts or supervises the examination of the
witness and the place where the examination is being held;
(c) A statement that the witness is answering the questions asked of him, fully conscious that
he does so under oath, and that he may face criminal liability for false testimony or perjury;
(d) Questions asked of the witness and his corresponding answers, consecutively numbered,
that:
(1) Show the circumstances under which the witness acquired the facts upon which he
testifies;
(2) Elicit from him those facts which are relevant to the issues that the case presents; and
(3) Identify the attached documentary and object evidence and establish their authenticity in
accordance with the Rules of Court;
(e) The signature of the witness over his printed name; and
(f) A jurat with the signature of the notary public who administers the oath or an officer who is
authorized by law to administer the same.
Section 4. Sworn attestation of the lawyer. - (a) The judicial affidavit shall contain a sworn
attestation at the end, executed by the lawyer who conducted or supervised the examination
of the witness, to the effect that:
(1) He faithfully recorded or caused to be recorded the questions he asked and the
corresponding answers that the witness gave; and
(2) Neither he nor any other person then present or assisting him coached the witness
regarding the latter's answers.
(b) A false attestation shall subject the lawyer mentioned to disciplinary action, including
disbarment.
Section 5. Subpoena. - If the government employee or official, or the requested witness, who
is neither the witness of the adverse party nor a hostile witness, unjustifiably declines to
execute a judicial affidavit or refuses without just cause to make the relevant books,
documents, or other things under his control available for copying, authentication, and
eventual production in court, the requesting party may avail himself of the issuance of a
subpoena ad testificandum or duces tecum under Rule 21 of the Rules of Court. The rules
governing the issuance of a subpoena to the witness in this case shall be the same as when
taking his deposition except that the taking of a judicial affidavit shal1 be understood to be ex
parte.
Section 6. Offer of and objections to testimony in judicial affidavit. - The party presenting the
judicial affidavit of his witness in place of direct testimony shall state the purpose of such
testimony at the start of the presentation of the witness. The adverse party may move to
disqualify the witness or to strike out his affidavit or any of the answers found in it on ground
of inadmissibility. The court shall promptly rule on the motion and, if granted, shall cause the
marking of any excluded answer by placing it in brackets under the initials of an authorized
court personnel, without prejudice to a tender of excluded evidence under Section 40 of Rule
132 of the Rules of Court.
Section 7. Examination of the witness on his judicial affidavit. - The adverse party shall have
the right to cross-examine the witness on his judicial affidavit and on the exhibits attached to
the same. The party who presents the witness may also examine him as on redirect. In every
case, the court shall take active part in examining the witness to determine his credibility as
well as the truth of his testimony and to elicit the answers that it needs for resolving the
issues.
Section 8. Oral offer of and objections to exhibits. - (a) Upon the termination of the testimony
of his last witness, a party shall immediately make an oral offer of evidence of his
documentary or object exhibits, piece by piece, in their chronological order, stating the
purpose or purposes for which he offers the particular exhibit.
(b) After each piece of exhibit is offered, the adverse party shall state the legal ground for his
objection, if any, to its admission, and the court shall immediately make its ruling respecting
that exhibit.
(c) Since the documentary or object exhibits form part of the judicial affidavits that describe
and authenticate them, it is sufficient that such exhibits are simply cited by their markings
during the offers, the objections, and the rulings, dispensing with the description of each
exhibit.
Section 9. Application of rule to criminal actions. - (a) This rule shall apply to all criminal
actions:
(1) Where the maximum of the imposable penalty does not exceed six years;
(2) Where the accused agrees to the use of judicial affidavits, irrespective of the penalty
involved; or
(3) With respect to the civil aspect of the actions, whatever the penalties involved are.
(b) The prosecution shall submit the judicial affidavits of its witnesses not later than five days
before the pre-trial, serving copies if the same upon the accused. The complainant or public
prosecutor shall attach to the affidavits such documentary or object evidence as he may have,
marking them as Exhibits A, B, C, and so on. No further judicial affidavit, documentary, or
object evidence shall be admitted at the trial.
(c) If the accused desires to be heard on his defense after receipt of the judicial affidavits of
the prosecution, he shall have the option to submit his judicial affidavit as well as those of his
witnesses to the court within ten days from receipt of such affidavits and serve a copy of each
on the public and private prosecutor, including his documentary and object evidence
previously marked as Exhibits 1, 2, 3, and so on. These affidavits shall serve as direct
testimonies of the accused and his witnesses when they appear before the court to testify.
Section 10. Effect of non-compliance with the judicial Affidavit Rule. - (a) A party who fails to
submit the required judicial affidavits and exhibits on time shall be deemed to have waived
their submission. The court may, however, allow only once the late submission of the same
provided, the delay is for a valid reason, would not unduly prejudice the opposing party, and
the defaulting party pays a fine of not less than P 1,000.00 nor more than P 5,000.00 at the
discretion of the court.
(b) The court shall not consider the affidavit of any witness who fails to appear at the
scheduled hearing of the case as required. Counsel who fails to appear without valid cause
despite notice shall be deemed to have waived his client's right to confront by cross-
examination the witnesses there present.
(c) The court shall not admit as evidence judicial affidavits that do not conform to the content
requirements of Section 3 and the attestation requirement of Section 4 above. The court may,
however, allow only once the subsequent submission of the compliant replacement affidavits
before the hearing or trial provided the delay is for a valid reason and would not unduly
prejudice the opposing party and provided further, that public or private counsel responsible
for their preparation and submission pays a fine of not less than P 1,000.00 nor more than P
5,000.00, at the discretion of the court.
Section 11. Repeal or modification of inconsistent rules. - The provisions of the Rules of Court
and the rules of procedure governing investigating officers and bodies authorized by the
Supreme Court to receive evidence are repealed or modified insofar as these are inconsistent
with the provisions of this Rule.
The rules of procedure governing quasi-judicial bodies inconsistent herewith are hereby
disapproved.
Section 12. Effectivity. - This rule shall take effect on January 1, 2013 following its publication
in two newspapers of general circulation not later than September 15, 2012. It shall also apply
to existing cases.

NOTARIAL PRACTICE RULE

RULE I: IMPLEMENTATION
SECTION 1. Title. - These Rules shall be known as the 2004 Rules on Notarial Practice.
SEC. 2. Purposes. - These Rules shall be applied and construed to advance the following
purposes:
(a) to promote, serve, and protect public interest;
(b) to simplify, clarify, and modernize the rules governing notaries public; and
(c) to foster ethical conduct among notaries public.
SEC. 3. Interpretation. - Unless the context of these Rules otherwise indicates, words in the
singular include the plural, and words in the plural include the singular.
RULE II: DEFINITIONS
SECTION 1. Acknowledgment. - “Acknowledgment” refers to an act in which an individual on a
single occasion:
(a) appears in person before the notary public and presents an integrally complete instrument
or document;
(b) is attested to be personally known to the notary public or identified by the notary public
through competent evidence of identity as defined by these Rules; and -
(c) represents to the notary public that the signature on the instrument or document was
voluntarily affixed by him for the purposes stated in the instrument or document, declares
that he has executed the instrument or document as his free and voluntary act and deed, and,
if he acts in a particular representative capacity, that he has the authority to sign in that
capacity.
SEC. 2. Affirmation or Oath. - The term “Affirmation” or “Oath” refers to an act in which an
individual on a single occasion:
(a) appears in person before the notary public;
(b) is personally known to the notary public or identified by the notary public through
competent evidence of identity as defined by these Rules; and
(c) avows under penalty of law to the whole truth of the contents of the instrument or
document.
SEC. 3. Commission. - “Commission” refers to the grant of authority to perform notarial acts
and to the written evidence of the authority.
SEC. 4. Copy Certification. - “Copy Certification” refers to a notarial act in which a notary
public:
(a) is presented with an instrument or document that is neither a vital record, a public record,
nor publicly recordable;
(b) copies or supervises the copying of the instrument or document;
(c) compares the instrument or document with the copy; and
(d) determines that the copy is accurate and complete.
SEC. 5. Notarial Register. - “Notarial Register” refers to a permanently bound book with
numbered pages containing a chronological record of notarial acts performed by a notary
public.
SEC. 6. Jurat. - “Jurat” refers to an act in which an individual on a single occasion:
(a) appears in person before the notary public and presents an instrument or document;
(b) is personally known to the notary public or identified by the notary public through
competent evidence of identity as defined by these Rules;
(c) signs the instrument or document in the presence of the notary; and
(d) takes an oath or affirmation before the notary public as to such instrument or document.
SEC. 7. Notarial Act and Notarization. - “Notarial Act” and “Notarization” refer to any act that
a notary public is empowered to perform under these Rules.
SEC. 8. Notarial Certificate. - “Notarial Certificate” refers to the part of, or attachment to, a
notarized instrument or document that is completed by the notary public, bears the notary's
signature and seal, and states the facts attested to by the notary public in a particular
notarization as provided for by these Rules.
SEC. 9. Notary Public and Notary. - “Notary Public” and “Notary” refer to any person
commissioned to perform official acts under these Rules.
SEC. 10. Principal. - “Principal” refers to a person appearing before the notary public whose
act is the subject of notarization.
SEC. 11. Regular Place of Work or Business. - The term “regular place of work or business”
refers to a stationary office in the city or province wherein the notary public renders legal and
notarial services.
SEC. 12. Competent Evidence of Identity. - The phrase “competent evidence of identity” refers
to the identification of an individual based on:
(a) at least one current identification document issued by an official agency bearing the
photograph and signature of the individual; or chan robles virtual law library
(b) the oath or affirmation of one credible witness not privy to the instrument, document or
transaction who is personally known to the notary public and who personally knows the
individual, or of two credible witnesses neither of whom is privy to the instrument, document
or transaction who each personally knows the individual and shows to the notary public
documentary identification.
SEC. 13. Official Seal or Seal. - “Official seal” or “Seal” refers to a device for affixing a mark,
image or impression on all papers officially signed by the notary public conforming the
requisites prescribed by these Rules.
SEC. 14. Signature Witnessing. - The term “signature witnessing” refers to a notarial act in
which an individual on a single occasion:
(a) appears in person before the notary public and presents an instrument or document;
(b) is personally known to the notary public or identified by the notary public through
competent evidence of identity as defined by these Rules; and chan robles virtual law library
(c) signs the instrument or document in the presence of the notary public.
SEC. 15. Court. - “Court” refers to the Supreme Court of the Philippines.
SEC. 16. Petitioner. - “Petitioner” refers to a person who applies for a notarial commission.
SEC. 17. Office of the Court Administrator. - “Office of the Court Administrator” refers to the
Office of the Court Administrator of the Supreme Court.
SEC. 18. Executive Judge. - “Executive Judge” refers to the Executive Judge of the Regional Trial
Court of a city or province who issues a notarial commission.
SEC. 19. Vendor. - “Vendor” under these Rules refers to a seller of a notarial seal and shall
include a wholesaler or retailer.
SEC. 20. Manufacturer. - “Manufacturer” under these Rules refers to one who produces a
notarial seal and shall include an engraver and seal maker.
RULE III: COMMISSIONING OF NOTARY PUBLIC
SECTION 1. Qualifications. - A notarial commission may be issued by an Executive Judge to any
qualified person who submits a petition in accordance with these Rules.

To be eligible for commissioning as notary public, the petitioner:

(1) must be a citizen of the Philippines;
(2) must be over twenty-one (21) years of age;
(3) must be a resident in the Philippines for at least one (1) year and maintains a regular place
of work or business in the city or province where the commission is to be issued;
(4) must be a member of the Philippine Bar in good standing with clearances from the Office of
the Bar Confidant of the Supreme Court and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines; and
(5) must not have been convicted in the first instance of any crime involving moral turpitude.
SEC. 2. Form of the Petition and Supporting Documents. - Every petition for a notarial
commission shall be in writing, verified, and shall include the following:
(a) a statement containing the petitioner's personal qualifications, including the petitioner's
date of birth, residence, telephone number, professional tax receipt, roll of attorney's number
and IBP membership number;
(b) certification of good moral character of the petitioner by at least two (2) executive officers
of the local chapter of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines where he is applying for
commission;
(c) proof of payment for the filing of the petition as required by these Rules; and
(d) three (3) passport-size color photographs with light background taken within thirty (30)
days of the application. The photograph should not be retouched. The petitioner shall sign his
name at the bottom part of the photographs.
SEC. 3. Application Fee. - Every petitioner for a notarial commission shall pay the application
fee as prescribed in the Rules of Court.
SEC. 4. Summary Hearing on the Petition. - The Executive Judge shall conduct a summary
hearing on the petition and shall grant the same if:
(a) the petition is sufficient in form and substance;
(b) the petitioner proves the allegations contained in the petition; and
(c) the petitioner establishes to the satisfaction of the Executive Judge that he has read and
fully understood these Rules.
The Executive Judge shall forthwith issue a commission and a Certificate of Authorization to
Purchase a Notarial Seal in favor of the petitioner.
SEC. 5. Notice of Summary Hearing. -
(a) The notice of summary hearing shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in
the city or province where the hearing shall be conducted and posted in a conspicuous place in
the offices of the Executive Judge and of the Clerk of Court. The cost of the publication shall be
borne by the petitioner. The notice may include more than one petitioner.
(b) The notice shall be substantially in the following form:

NOTICE OF HEARING
Notice is hereby given that a summary hearing on the petition for notarial commission of
(name of petitioner) shall be held on (date) at (place) at (time). Any person who has any cause
or reason to object to the grant of the petition may file a verified written opposition thereto,
received by the undersigned before the date of the summary hearing.chanrobles virtual law
library chan robles virtual law library

_____________________
Executive Judge

SEC. 6. Opposition to Petition. - Any person who has any cause or reason to object to the grant
of the petition may file a verified written opposition thereto. The opposition must be received
by the Executive Judge before the date of the summary hearing.
SEC. 7. Form of Notarial Commission. - The commissioning of a notary public shall be in a
formal order signed by the Executive Judge substantially in the following form:

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

REGIONAL TRIAL COURT OF ______________
This is to certify that (name of notary public) of (regular place of work or business) in (city or
province) was on this (date) day of (month) two thousand and (year) commissioned by the
undersigned as a notary public, within and for the said jurisdiction, for a term ending the
thirty-first day of December (year) chan robles virtual law library

________________________
Executive Judge

SEC. 8. Period Of Validity of Certificate of Authorization to Purchase a Notarial Seal. - The

Certificate of Authorization to Purchase a Notarial Seal shall be valid for a period of three (3)
months from date of issue, unless extended by the Executive Judge.
A mark, image or impression of the seal that may be purchased by the notary public pursuant
to the Certificate shall be presented to the Executive Judge for approval prior to use.
SEC. 9. Form of Certificate of Authorization to Purchase a Notarial Seal. - The Certificate of
Authorization to Purchase a Notarial Seal shall substantially be in the following form:

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

REGIONAL TRIAL COURT OF_____________ chan robles virtual law library
CERTIFICATE OF AUTHORIZATION
TO PURCHASE A NOTARIAL SEAL chan robles virtual law library

This is to authorize (name of notary public) of (city or province) who was commissioned by the
undersigned as a notary public, within and for the said jurisdiction, for a term ending, the
thirty-first of December (year) to purchase a notarial seal.chanrobles virtual law library chan
robles virtual law library

Issued this (day) of (month) (year).

________________________
Executive Judge

SEC. 10. Official Seal of Notary Public. - Every person commissioned as notary public shall have
only one official seal of office in accordance with these Rules.
SEC. 11. Jurisdiction and Term. - A person commissioned as notary public may perform notarial
acts in any place within the territorial jurisdiction of the commissioning court for a period of
two (2) years commencing the first day of January of the year in which the commissioning is
made, unless earlier revoked or the notary public has resigned under these Rules and the
Rules of Court.
SEC. 12. Register of Notaries Public. - The Executive Judge shall keep and maintain a Register of
Notaries Public in his jurisdiction which shall contain, among others, the dates of issuance or
revocation or suspension of notarial commissions, and the resignation or death of notaries
public. The Executive Judge shall furnish the Office of the Court Administrator information and
data recorded in the register of notaries public. The Office of the Court Administrator shall
keep a permanent, complete and updated database of such records.
SEC. 13. Renewal of Commission. - A notary public may file a written application with the
Executive Judge for the renewal of his commission within forty-five (45) days before the
expiration thereof. A mark, image or impression of the seal of the notary public shall be
attached to the application.
Failure to file said application will result in the deletion of the name of the notary public in the
register of notaries public.

The notary public thus removed from the Register of Notaries Public may only be reinstated
therein after he is issued a new commission in accordance with these Rules.
SEC. 14. Action on Application for Renewal of Commission. - The Executive Judge shall, upon
payment of the application fee mentioned in Section 3 above of this Rule, act on an application
for the renewal of a commission within thirty (30) days from receipt thereof. If the application
is denied, the Executive Judge shall state the reasons therefor.cralaw
RULE IV: POWERS AND LIMITATIONS OF NOTARIES PUBLIC
SECTION 1. Powers. - (a) A notary public is empowered to perform the following notarial acts:
(1) acknowledgments;
(2) oaths and affirmations;
(3) jurats; chan robles virtual law library
(4) signature witnessings;
(5) copy certifications; and
(6) any other act authorized by these Rules.
(b) A notary public is authorized to certify the affixing of a signature by thumb or other mark
on an instrument or document presented for notarization if:
(1) the thumb or other mark is affixed in the presence of the notary public and of two (2)
disinterested and unaffected witnesses to the instrument or document;
(2) both witnesses sign their own names in addition to the thumb or other mark;
(3) the notary public writes below the thumb or other mark: "Thumb or Other Mark affixed by
(name of signatory by mark) in the presence of (names and addresses of witnesses) and
undersigned notary public"; and chan robles virtual law library
(4) the notary public notarizes the signature by thumb or other mark through an
acknowledgment, jurat, or signature witnessing.
(c) A notary public is authorized to sign on behalf of a person who is physically unable to sign
or make a mark on an instrument or document if:
(1) the notary public is directed by the person unable to sign or make a mark to sign on his
behalf;
(2) the signature of the notary public is affixed in the presence of two disinterested and
unaffected witnesses to the instrument or document;
(3) both witnesses sign their own names ;
(4) the notary public writes below his signature: “Signature affixed by notary in presence of
(names and addresses of person and two [2] witnesses)”; and
(5) the notary public notarizes his signature by acknowledgment or jurat.
SEC. 2. Prohibitions. - (a) A notary public shall not perform a notarial act outside his regular
place of work or business; provided, however, that on certain exceptional occasions or
situations, a notarial act may be performed at the request of the parties in the following sites
located within his territorial jurisdiction: chan robles virtual law library
(1) public offices, convention halls, and similar places where oaths of office may be
administered;
(2) public function areas in hotels and similar places for the signing of instruments or
documents requiring notarization;
(3) hospitals and other medical institutions where a party to an instrument or document is
confined for treatment; and
(4) any place where a party to an instrument or document requiring notarization is under
detention.
(b) A person shall not perform a notarial act if the person involved as signatory to the
instrument or document -
(1) is not in the notary's presence personally at the time of the notarization; and
(2) is not personally known to the notary public or otherwise identified by the notary public
through competent evidence of identity as defined by these Rules.
SEC. 3. Disqualifications. - A notary public is disqualified from performing a notarial act if he:
(a) is a party to the instrument or document that is to be notarized; chan robles virtual law
library
(b) will receive, as a direct or indirect result, any commission, fee, advantage, right, title,
interest, cash, property, or other consideration, except as provided by these Rules and by law;
or
(c) is a spouse, common-law partner, ancestor, descendant, or relative by affinity or
consanguinity of the principal within the fourth civil degree. chan robles virtual law library
SEC. 4. Refusal to Notarize. - A notary public shall not perform any notarial act described in
these Rules for any person requesting such an act even if he tenders the appropriate fee
specified by these Rules if:
(a) the notary knows or has good reason to believe that the notarial act or transaction is
unlawful or immoral;
(b) the signatory shows a demeanor which engenders in the mind of the notary public
reasonable doubt as to the former's knowledge of the consequences of the transaction
requiring a notarial act; and
(c) in the notary's judgment, the signatory is not acting of his or her own free will.
SEC. 5. False or Incomplete Certificate. - A notary public shall not:
(a) execute a certificate containing information known or believed by the notary to be false.
(b) affix an official signature or seal on a notarial certificate that is incomplete.
SEC. 6. Improper Instruments or Documents. - A notary public shall not notarize:
(a) a blank or incomplete instrument or document; or chan robles virtual law library
(b) an instrument or document without appropriate notarial certification.

EFFICIENT USE OF PAPER RULE

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.