SC to start e-filing of cases

MANILA, Philippines—In a bid to reduce paper use and save the forest, the Supreme Court will start implementing a paperless system in filing of complaints.

The electronic filing of cases will start on January 2, a day after the rule takes into effect.

The high court, through its Management Information System Office, has set up the email address [email protected] where cases would be sent.

E-filing, under the Efficient Use of Paper Rule, requires parties 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).

E-filing will initially be on a voluntary basis for the first six months following the effectivity of the Rule on January 1.

After six months, the paperless system will become mandatory.

The high court issued the rule after seeing the need to reduce the judicial system’s use of excessive quantities of costly paper, save the forests, avoid landslides, and mitigate the worsening effects of climate change.