This case has been cited 1 times or more.
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2006-05-03 |
YNARES-SANTIAGO, J. |
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| Section 18, Rule 139-B of the Rules of Court states that "proceedings against attorneys shall be private and confidential. However, the final order of the Supreme Court shall be published like its decisions in other cases." The purpose of the rule is not only to enable this Court to make its investigations free from any extraneous influence or interference, but also to protect the personal and professional reputation of attorneys and judges from the baseless charges of disgruntled, vindictive, and irresponsible clients and litigants; it is also to deter the press from publishing administrative cases or portions thereto without authority. We have ruled that malicious and unauthorized publication or verbatim reproduction of administrative complaints against lawyers in newspapers by editors and/or reporters may be actionable.[12] Such premature publication constitutes a contempt of court, punishable by either a fine or imprisonment or both at the discretion of the Court. The lawyer as an aggrieved party may recover damages in a civil suit filed for the purpose;[13] or may choose to waive the confidentiality of proceedings in the disbarment case against him/her.[14] | |||||