Judicial Responsibility: A Judge's Duty to Supervise Court Personnel and Prevent Abuse
In Santos v. Judge Silva, the Supreme Court held that judges answer for court personnel they fail to supervise, even when a clerk expands a demolition writ.
A few words inserted into a writ of demolition — "third parties" — brought the Supreme Court face to face with a question that touches every trial court in the country: when a court employee oversteps, how far does the judge's responsibility reach? In Santos v. Judge Lorenzo R. Silva Jr. (A.M. No. RTJ-00-1579, January 18, 2001), the Court answered that a judge cannot escape liability by pointing to a subordinate's negligence.
The demolition that went beyond the parties
The case began with an *accion public
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