JUDICIAL BRANCH

The Judiciary is one of the three Organs of State. Under the Constitution, judicial power in Singapore is vested in the Supreme Court and the Subordinate Courts. The Honourable the Chief Justice heads the Singapore Judiciary. Within the Judicial Branch, the Registrar of the Supreme Court supervises the Legal Service Officers in the Supreme Court while the Chief District Judge leads the Legal Service Officers in the Subordinate Courts. Both the Registrar and the Chief District Judge are accountable to The Honourable the Chief Justice for their management of these Legal Service Officers.


SUPREME COURT

The Supreme Court comprises the High Court and the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal is the final appellate court and the highest court of the land. It hears civil and criminal appeals from the High Court and determines questions of law which the High Court reserves for its decision.

The Supreme Court Registry performs both judicial and administrative functions. Legal Service Officers posted to the Supreme Court Registry serve as the Registrar, the Deputy Registrar, Senior Assistant Registrars and Assistant Registrars.

Legal Service Officers with strong academic credentials may be posted to the Supreme Court to serve as Justices’ Law Clerks. Justices’ Law Clerks assist The Honourable the Chief Justice and the Judges of the Supreme Court by providing assistance in legal research in civil and criminal appeals before the Court of Appeal and the High Court.


SUBORDINATE COURTS

Under the Subordinate Courts Act, Chapter 322, the Subordinate Courts comprise the District Courts, the Magistrates’ Courts, the Coroner’s Court, the Juvenile Court and the Small Claims Tribunals. Within this legal framework, various specialist courts have been designated to deal with the wide variety of cases. These include the Criminal Mentions Courts, the Commercial Civil and Criminal Courts, the Family Court, the Traffic Court, the Centralised Sentencing Court, the Holding/Filter Court and the Night Courts. The Subordinate Courts also include the e@dr (electronic alternative dispute resolution) Centre and the Multi-Door Courthouse.

Legal Service Officers posted to the Subordinate Courts serve as either District Judges or Magistrates. They hold concurrent appointments as the Registrar, Deputy Registrars, Coroners and Referees of the Small Claims Tribunals.