Professional Documents
Culture Documents
door investigation of a judge of first instance, it was held that it is an interference with the
work of the courts to publish any matters with their policy requires should be kept private.
The SC held that Atty. Jurado could not hide behind the shield of freedom of the press
and of information. His article published comments on a non-existent decision and obstructed
the proper functioning of the SC. The premature revelation placed the court in an unfavorable
light as an inept and incompetent guardian of its own confidential proceedings.
Respondent did not act in good faith. Being a source of legal news for his readers, the
court ruled that they could not punish him as a newspaperman without punishing him as a
member of the bar.
His actions mitigated the penalty since the articles did not attribute official or personal
impropriety to any member of the SC. Respondent was fined 1000 pesos.