Courts urge document retrieval

LITIGANTS and lawyers are urged by municipal and regional trial courts in Baguio City to retrieve old documents to help decongest the courts.

Judge Glenda OrtizSoriano of Municipal Trial Court in Baguio City said they are now in the process of decongesting their courts

filled with decided case records exceeding five years.

"May circular tayo allowing us to do that para mag-dispose na ng mga records. Kapag na-litigate na ang mga kaso at narender na ang desisyon ay pwede nang kunin, mag-file lang sila ng motion sa court. Ang mga five years and above kapag hindi na retrieve ay maguundergo ng disposal sa court, ang gagawin lahat ng mga old records maguundergo ng public bidding tapos idi-dispose,” Soriano said.

The litigants or their lawyers can retrieve by filing a motion in court and paying required fees.

"Sayang naman ang mga records lalo na ang mga original na evidence tulad ng titulo, birth certificate. So pwede ng kunin as long as alam nila yung pangalan ng mga parties o case number, pumunta lang sila sa office ng clerk of court," Soriano said.

Soriano explained they need to get records as early as possible.

“Nakakaapekto, hindi naman kalakihan ang mga courts natin sa dami ng mga cases natin. Minsan kulang pa para upuan ng mga litigants at mga lawyers. Nakakasagabal ang mga old records.”

The only records to be retained by courts are the copies of pleadings and decisions pieces of evidence will be disposed when the litigants or lawyers fail to retrieve them.

The courts would like to declog their areas of papers to achieve a conducive room for litigation during a proceedings.

With the advent of digital age, the courts are starting to scan documents and setting it into micro film to help declog court dockets.