[ Act No. 2128, February 01, 1912 ]

AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE SUPREME COURT TO CONTROL AND MANAGE ALL MATTERS AFFECTING THE PERSONNEL AND THE INTERNAL OPERATIONS OF THE COURT; TO HOLD SESSIONS THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD DESIGNATED BY LAW FOR THE ANNUAL "COURT VACATION;" AND PROVIDING FOR ACCRUED LEAVE FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE COURT IN CERTAIN CASES.

By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Legislature, that:SECTION 1. The Supreme Court of the Philippine Islands shall have the administrative control and management of all matters affecting the internal operations of the court.SEC. 2. The Supreme Court shall appoint and employ its Reporter, Clerk, and such officers, subordinate officials and other employees, as, in the opinion of the court, may from time to time be necessary, at salaries to be determined by the court; provided that in no case shall the total amount of such salaries exceed the total amount appropriated therefor by law; to make and approve or direct the making and approval of all appointments, promotions, reductions, deductions from pay, suspensions without pay, transfers and allowances of leaves of absence and vacations of such officers, subordinate officials, clerks and other employees; and by resolution of the court to remove any person so employed for cause: Provided, nevertheless, That except as to the appointment and compensation of the Reporter Clerk, and such private secretaries to the individual justices as the court may authorize, all such appointments, promotions, reductions, deductions from pay, suspensions without pay, transfers and allowances of leaves of absence and vacations shall be made or approved in conformity with the provisions of the Civil Service Act and its Rules, and of the general provisions of law touching the appointments, promotions, transfers, leaves of absence and vacations of such employees.SEC. 3. Appropriations for the Supreme Court for all purposes, Disbursements, including salaries and wages, accrued leaves of absence, and contingent expenses shall be disbursed by an officer or agent designated or appointed by resolution of the court for that purpose, or in the event that no such officer or agent has been thus designated or appointed, by the officer or agent designated to disburse appropriations for the Bureau of Justice; and all such disbursements must be made with the approval of the Chief Justice, or in the event of his death, disability or absence of one of the Associate Justices whom the court, by resolution, may designate for that purpose.SEC. 4. Ill any case wherein the approval of any administrative officer has heretofore been required by law as to any matter included within the administrative management and control of the Supreme Court, approval by the Chief Justice, or in the event of his death, disability or absence in such other manner as the court, by resolution, may adopt for that purpose, is hereby substituted for such approval and shall be sufficient for the purpose or purposes for which such approval has heretofore been required.vacation justices.SEC. 5. The designation of the Justice of the Supreme Court who shall remain on duty dining any vacation period of the court shall be made in such manner as the court by resolution shall direct.SEC. 6. The right of the Justices of the Supreme Court to leave of absence may be exercised by them subject only to approval in such manner as the court by resolution may direct; Provided, however, That all such leaves of absence shall be so arranged as never to deprive the court of a quorum during its regular sessions.SEC. 7. The right to a leave of absence, for a period equal to one-twelfth of the period of his services on the Supreme Court, shall accrue to each Justice of the court, and this provision shall be retroactive: Provided, That the period of services upon which such a leave of absence is based shall not include any time prior to the first day of July, of the year in which such member last exercised his right to a "long vacation" under the provisions of Act Numbered One hundred and thirty-six, as amended, and that no Justice shall at any time have to his credit, by virtue of this section, more than leave of absence allowed for three years' service: And provided further, That nothing in this Act shall be construed so as to deprive any member of the court of his right to a "long vacation" under the provisions of that Act; it being understood, nevertheless, that any "long vacation" hereafter granted to any member of the court under the provisions of that Act, shall be reduced by the number of days leave which may have been granted to such member under the provision of this section during the three years immediately preceding the first day of July of the year in which such "long vacation" is granted.sessions of court.SEC. 8. The Supreme Court may hold regular sessions throughout the whole of the period designated by law for its annual court vacation, and the right to three months' leave of absence  to be exercised as prescribed in section six shall accrue to all the Justices of the court on the first day oil April of any year in which the  court adopts a resolution so to do: Provided, That no Justice of the court shall have at any time to his credit more than leave of absence allowed in lieu of three annual court vacations, and that when a justice of the court exercises his right to a "long vacation" under the provisions of Act Numbered One hundred and thirty-six, as amended, leave accruing to him under this section in the year in which he takes such "long vacation" shall be counted as a part thereof.SEC. 9. The total amount of leave which may be enjoyed by any Justice of the Supreme Court at any one time shall not exceed one year.SEC. 10. Certified copies of all orders and resolutions required or provided for by this Act shall be furnished to the Insular Auditor, the Insular Treasurer, and the Director of Civil Service.SEC. 11. This Act shall take effect on its passage, except sections one, two, three and four, which shall take effect when a separate appropriation is made for the Supreme Court.Enacted, February 1, 1912.

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