SC Commends Courts with Highest Clearance Rates
February 7, 2024
The Supreme Court has identified and duly recognized the judges of first- and second-level courts that registered the 10 highest clearance rates per judicial region for 2022.
“These are the judges who exemplified exceptional commitment to the pursuit of efficient case disposition even amid the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Their unwavering dedication, to be sure, stands as a beacon of inspiration for all judges to emulate. It is only fitting that this Court extends its utmost commendation to these exemplary judges,” said the Court.
The Court underscored how efficient case disposition is a crucial component of the administration of justice. “By disposing of cases with fairness and dispatch, a court is able to dispense timely justice for all parties involved, promote the integrity of the judicial process, and, ultimately, foster public trust in the courts and the Judiciary,” stressed the court.
The Court further emphasized: “This truism is the essence of the principle of ‘timely and fair’ delivery of justice presently embodied in the Court’s Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations (SPJI) 2022-2027.”
Through the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA), the Court reviewed the data submitted by all Clerks of Courts of the Office of the Clerk of Court of multiple-sala first- and second-level courts and all Clerks of Courts of single-sala second-level courts.
The clearance rate is computed by dividing the total number of case disposals or case outflow by the total number of incoming cases or case inflow, multiplied by 100.
The Court noted that a court’s clearance rate serves as a “meaningful metric to assess its efficiency in disposing of cases” as it measures the court’s ability to dispose of cases relative to the number of cases that had been filed before it at a given time.
“A clearance rate of exactly 100% means that, for a given period, a court was able to prevent an increase in the number of pending and unresolved cases pending before it. A clearance rate beyond that threshold indicates the potential to not only prevent but also reduce or eliminate case backlogs,” the Court stressed.
Acknowledging the persistent existence of case backlogs as “the antitheses of efficient case disposition,” the Court held that by employing the clearance rate metric, the Court can readily pinpoint the trial courts especially the individual judges behind them that are actively working towards the eradication of case backlogs and, thus, remain committed to the principles of the SPJI.
For a complete list of the top 10 courts per judicial region, you may view the full text of A.M. No. 23-08-14-SC on the Supreme Court website: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/23-08-14-sc-re-list-of-top-10-courts-per-judicial-region-with-the-most-number-of-filed-and-disposed-cases-and-their-clearance-rate/
(Courtesy of the Supreme Court Public Information Office)