Lawyer mistake should not affect clients, says SC

The Supreme Court (SC) has reiterated that clients should not be unfairly penalized for the mistakes of their lawyers, especially when such errors could deny them justice.

The high court’s Third Division issued this statement in a decision penned by Associate Justice Samuel H. Gaerlan dated 11 November 2024, and uploaded Thursday. The court granted a group of laborers additional time to file their pleading after their lawyer failed to do so.

Court records showed the laborers had filed a case for illegal dismissal against their employer. However, both the Labor Arbiter and the National Labor Relations Commission dismissed their complaint, prompting them to elevate their case to the Court of Appeals (CA).

They had a 60-day window, until 10 December 2022, to file a petition for certiorari with the CA.

According to the Supreme Court decision, the laborers’ lawyer failed to prepare the petition despite prior arrangements and payment. Subsequently, the lawyer ceased legal representation, leaving the laborers without counsel. The laborers requested a 30-day extension, until 10 January 2023, to find a new lawyer and file their case.