Judges-at-Large Act of 2019

Republic Act No. 11459, passed on August 30, 2019, creating 100 positions of Regional Trial Judges-at-Large and 50 positions of Municipal Trial Judges-at-Large.

A duly appointed Regional Trial Judge-at-Large has no permanent sala and may be assigned by the Supreme Court (SC) to any Regional Trial Court (RTC) in the Philippines. He has the same salaries, privileges, allowances, emoluments, benefits, rank and title of a regular RTC judge, and has the same qualifications as a regular RTC judge. The SC determines the length of the temporary assignment. After the temporary assignment, the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) shall recommend to the President the permanent sala to which the Judge-at-Large shall be appointed.

A duly appointed Municipal Trial Judge-at-Large has no permanent sala and may be assigned by the Supreme Court (SC) to any first-level court in the Philippines. He has the same salaries, privileges, allowances, emoluments, benefits, rank and title of a regular first-level court judge, and has the same qualifications as a regular first-level court judge. The SC determines the length of the temporary assignment. After the temporary assignment, the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) shall recommend to the President the permanent sala to which the Judge-at-Large shall be appointed.