Singapore's Legal System Timeline PDF

(1) Legal Systems Some Definitions "Legal systems" etc. Legal system - The systematic or syncretic integration of the: Legal tradition - Common concepts across jurisdictions Legal culture - Surrounding attitudes and values particular to that jurisdiction The legal traditions...

(1) Legal Systems Some Definitions "Legal systems" etc. Legal system - The systematic or syncretic integration of the: Legal tradition - Common concepts across jurisdictions Legal culture - Surrounding attitudes and values particular to that jurisdiction The legal traditions Common law - Unwritten, non-textual law (Precedent is supreme) Originated in England Practised in the Commonwealth Civil law - Codified law (Code is supreme) Originated in Rome Practised in Continental Europe & colonies Islamic law - Per the Quran Theories of law Mechanistic theory - Cases (inputs) have correct & predictable outcomes (outputs) Commutative justice - Treating equal cases equally Distributive justice - Fulfilment of rights Development of Singapore's Legal System A timeline 1784 - Pitt's India Act - Joint government of British India between EIC & Crown 6 February 1819 - Treaty of Singapore - British setting up settlement 1823 - Raffles' Regulations - Set regulations on land, trade & jurisdiction Note that these were technically illegal 17 March 1824 - Anglo-Dutch Treaty - Allocation of Malacca & SG to the British 2 August 1824 - Treaty of Friendship & Alliance - Cession of SG to the British by Johor 1826 - Second Charter of Justice - Official importation of English law to the Straits Settlements; Court established in Penang 1829 - Abolition of Straits Settlement Presidency - SS fell under Bengal Presidency 1833 - Charter Act 1833 - Establishment of Indian government; Governor-General empowered to legislate for SS 1852 - Jeffcott Reforms - Introduction of admission examinations for Law Agents 1855 - Third Charter of Justice - Established a separate Recorder for SG 1858 - Government of India Act 1858 - Liquidation of EIC & full Crown control of India 1858 - R v Willans - Interpreted the 2CJ as having introduced English law to the SS 1867 - SS became a Crown Colony - Introduction of Governor and LegCo 1868 - Supreme Court Ordinance 1868 - Establishment of Supreme Court of the SS 1873 - Courts Ordinance of 1873 - Reconstitution of courts to introduce a Court of Appeal in the Sup Ct, with final appeals to the Privy Council 1877 - Introduction of ExCo 1942-45 - Japanese Occupation 1946 - Dissolution of the SS - Singapore became a separate Crown Colony 1953 - Rendel Commission - Reviewed Constitution; Formed Leg Assembly David Marshall & Lim Yew Hock elected CM under Rendel Constitution 1959 - Full Internal Self-Governance - SG given control over trade & commerce under the Singapore (Constitution) Order-in-Council 1958 Yusof Ishak appointed Yang Di-Pertuan Negara & Lee Kuan Yew elected PM 1959 - Criminal Procedure Code (Amendment) Act 1959 - Abolition of jury trials except capital charges and where directed by CJ 1963 - Merger - High Court of Singapore subsumed under Malaysian Federal Courts 1965 - Independence 1966 - Wee Chong Jin Commission - To consider constitutional measures for the protection of minorities Recommendations rejected except for formation of the Council of State (later the PCMR) 1966 - Legal Profession Act 1966 - Established Advocates and Solicitors Society (wef 1967) (later LawSoc) 1969 - Supreme Court of Judicature Act 1969 - Established the Sup Ct of SG (wef 1970) Continued appeals to Privy Council Discontinued appeals to Malaysian Federal Court 1969 - Criminal Procedure Code (Amendment) Act 1969 - Abolition of jury trials (wef 1970) 1970 - Subordinate Courts Act 1970 1984 - Const (Amdmt) Act 1984 (NCMP) - Introduction of NCMPs 1988 - Const (Amdmt) Act 1988 (GRC) - Introduction of GRCs 1990 - Const (Amdmt) Act 1990 (NMP) - Introduction of NMPs 1991 - Const (Amdmt) Act 1991 (Pres Elections) - Introduction of Elected Presidency Also introduced Presidential powers to include power to assent to bills, key appointments, end ISA detention & issue POs under MRHA 1993 - SCJA (Amdmt) Act 1993 - Combined Court of Appeal & Court of Criminal Appeal Distinguished between Justices of Appeal and Justices of the High Court 1993 - Application of English Law Act 1993 - Repealed s 5 of the Civil Law Act 1909 Clarified which 13 English statutes were received 1993 - LPA (Amdmt) Act 1993 - Limited legal professionals to law graduates of NUS and selected English universities 1994 - Judicial Committee Repeal Act 1994 - Stopped appeals to the Privy Council 1995 - Legal Aid & Advice Act 1995 2016 - Const (Amdmt) Act 2016 (NCMP/Pres Elections) - Gave NCMPs full voting rights; Created Reserved Pres Elections (wef 2017) 2019 - SCJA (Amdmt) Act 2019 - Split High Court into General and Appellate Divisions 2022 - Public Defenders Act 2022