Doctrine of Non-Interference or Doctrine of Judicial Stability
Doctrine of Non-Interference or Doctrine of Judicial Stability
Doctrine of Non-Interference or Doctrine of Judicial Stability
JUDICIAL STABILITY
Under the law of the case doctrine, a court is ordinarily precluded from
reexamining an issue previously decided by the same court, or a higher court in the
same case.[i]
The law of the case doctrine, when applied to the court that made the initial ruling
in question or a coordinate court, is a discretionary tool available to a court in order
to promote judicial efficiency.[ii]
The law of the case doctrine is a term applied in several distinct circumstances.
The purpose of this doctrine is twofold:[iii]
• to prevent the continued litigation of settled issues; and
• to assure compliance by inferior courts with the decisions of superior courts.
The doctrine of the law of the case points that when a court decides upon a rule of
law, that decision should continue to govern the same issues in subsequent stages
in the same case.[iv] This rule of practice promotes the finality and efficiency of
the judicial process by protecting against the agitation of settled issues.
When the question is a court’s revisitation of an issue previously decided by the
same court, the doctrine merely expresses the practice of courts generally to refuse
to reopen what has been decided, not a limit to their power.[v] The law of the case
doctrine applies with equal vitality in the context where a party has failed to appeal
the initial decision of a district court with respect to a particular issue.
Highly skilled or specialized technical workers may choose to form their own
bargaining unit because they may be in better position to bargain with the
employer considering the market value of their skills.
LIBERAL CONSTRUCTION PRINCIPLE:
The cases should be determined on the merits in order to give the parties full
opportunity to ventilate their causes and defenses, rather than on technicalities or
procedural imperfections. In that way, the ends of justice would be served better.
Rules of procedure are mere tools designed to expedite the decision or resolution
of cases and other matters pending in court. A strict and rigid application of rules,
resulting in technicalities that tend to frustrate rather than promote substantial
justice, must be avoided. In fact, Section 6 of Rule 1 states that the Rules shall
be liberally construed in order to promote their objective of ensuring the just,
speedy and inexpensive disposition of every action and
proceeding (DEVELOPMENT BANK OF THE PHILIPPINES vs. FAMILY
FOODS MANUFACTURING CO. LTD. G.R. No. 180458, July 30, 2009, Third
Division, Nachura, J.).
Corollary to this, it is settled that liberal construction of the rules may be
invoked in situations where there may be some excusable formal deficiency or
error in a pleading, provided that the same does not subvert the essence of the
proceeding and connotes at least a reasonable attempt at compliance with the
rules. After all, rules of procedure are not to be applied in a very rigid, technical
sense; they are used only to help secure substantial justice (MEDISERV, INC. vs.
COURT OF APPEALS, G.R. No. 161368, April 5, 2010, First Division, Villarama,
Jr., J.)
Thus, in Republic vs. Jennifer Cagandahan, G.R. No. 166676,
September 12, 2008, 2nd Division, the Supreme Court agreed that there is
substantial compliance with Rule 108 (which requires the civil registrar and all
persons who have or claim any interest which would be affected by the Petition
shall be made parties to the proceedings) when respondent furnished a copy of the
petition to the local civil registrar. The High Court invoked Section 6, Rule 1 of
the Rules of Court which states that courts shall construe the Rules liberally to
promote their objectives of securing to the parties a just, speedy and inexpensive
disposition of the matters brought before it.