House: 150 ‘judges-at-large’ to fill shortage of judges

See - House: 150 ‘judges-at-large’ to fill shortage of judges

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The House of Representatives has approved on second reading a bill creating positions for 150 Judges-at-Large who can be sent to fill in for judges in congested regional or municipal trial courts.

House Bill 7309 refers to Judges-at-Large as those who do not have permanent salas and can be detailed by the Supreme Court (SC) as acting or assisting judges to any regional, city or municipal trial court in the Philippines, as public interest may require.

The measure proposes the creation of 100 Judges-at-Large positions for the Regional Trial Courts and 50 more for the Municipal Trial Courts.


The bill seeks to amend Sections 14, 15, 25, 26, 41 and 42 of Batas Pambansa Bilang 129, otherwise known as “The Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980” to implement the creation of Judges-at-Large positions.

The Regional Trial Judges-at-Large shall have no permanent salas and can be detailed by the Supreme Court as Acting or Assisting Judges to any Regional trial Court in the Philippines, as public interest may require.

No person shall be appointed Regional Trial Judge or Regional Trial Judge-at-Large unless that person is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, at least 35 years of age, and for at least 10 years has been engaged in the practice of law in the country, or has held a public office in the Philippines requiring admission to the practice of law as an indispensable requisite.

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