SC: Case disposition rates in lower courts up in 2023

MANILA, Philippines —  There has been an increase in the case disposition rates in the country in 2023, the Supreme Court (SC) reported.

This was revealed by Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo during his speech at the 19th National Convention and Election of Officers of the Philippine Association of Court Employees on May 2, according to the high court’s press release on Monday. 

Citing the Office of the Court Administrator, the SC said that the disposition rate of the “first-level” courts increased to 61% in 2023, coming from 60% in 2022.

The first-level courts comprise the Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, Shari’ah Circuit Courts and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts.

The disposition rate of the second-level courts, on the other hand, increased to 42% in 2023. This is a significant jump from 2022’s 39% and 32% in 2021.

The Regional Trial Courts and the Shari’ah District Courts comprise the second-level courts. 

The case disposition rate is obtained by dividing the total number of decided, resolved and archived cases by the total number of pending and newly filed cases, and then multiplied by 100, according to the SC.