Rappler
Courts will close nationwide, judges to come to work only for urgent matters
All Philippine courts will physically close and operate solely through phone or online channels starting March 23 in response to the COVID-19 threat.
Judges and court staff will only report to court premises to handle urgent matters that have been pre-screened via phone or email.
The Supreme Court advised the public to first contact courts through hotlines, email, or social media to determine the urgency of their legal concerns.
Court operations for urgent matters will be limited to Mondays to Fridays, from 8:30 AM to 2 PM.
Urgent matters are defined to include those affecting liberty, such as bail and habeas corpus petitions, as well as the promulgation of judgments of acquittal.
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