Constitutional Law: Article III, Section 16 Summary (De Leon)
Section 16. All persons shall have the right to a speedy disposition of their cases before all judicial, quasi-judicial, or administrative bodies. Under the Constitution, the Supreme Court, all lower collegiate courts, and all other lower courts are required to decide or resolve cases within a certain period of time. (see Art. VIII, Sec. 15[1].) Supreme Court - 24 months, unless reduced Lower Collegiate Courts - 12 months Lower Courts - 3 months The Commission on Elections shall expedite disposition of election cases including pre-proclamation controversies. (Art. IX-C, Sec. 3.) With the setting of an absolute time limit in the disposition of cases, a court litigant will not have to wait indefinitely anymore for his case to be decided. Importance of right. (SJ-EC-CF-RL) (1) Section 16 upholds the time-honored tradition of speedy justice for as stated in the old dictum - "Justice delayed is justice d...