Judicial officers of the Republic of Singapore

In the Supreme Court, the current senior judicial officers are the Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon, who is also the President of the Court of Appeal; the Judge of Appeal Justice Andrew Phang Boon Leong who is also the Vice-President; the Judge of Appeal Justices Judith Prakash, Tay Yong Kwang and Steven Chong; and the judges and judicial commissioners of the High Court.

[7] The Legal Profession Act defines a "qualified person" as any person who — The Chief Justice, Judges of Appeal and Judges of the High Court are appointed by the President with concurrence with the advice of the Prime Minister.

[9] The Prime Minister is required to consult the Chief Justice before providing the president advice as to the appointment of a judge.

[25] To secure the independence of the judiciary, the Singapore Constitution makes the following provision: In addition, the Attorney-General may bring committal proceedings against a person for contempt of court by doing an act or publishing a piece of writing calculated to bring the court or a judge into contempt or to lower their authority (known as "scandalizing" the court or the judge); or calculated to obstruct or interfere with the due course of justice.

[33] The Chief Justice, the Judges and Judicial Commissioners are, when sitting in open court or in chambers, addressed as "Your Honour", and on social occasions or other extrajudicial occasions as "Chief Justice" or "Judge", as the case may be.

[34] The table below lists the judges that were in office on or after 9 August 1965, the date when Singapore left Malaysia and became an independent republic.

In moving the Second Reading of the Bill in Parliament, the then Minister for Law and National Development, Mr. E.W.

Unfortunately, the many and varied problems which we had to deal with upon leaving Malaysia had forced us to continue with the existing system of administration of justice until the present day.

All that the Bill purports to do is to set out logically the consequences that flow from our becoming independent on our own with an independent system of administration of justice separate from the system that was introduced to us while we were part of Malaysia ..." A shortage of High Court judges led to an amendment to Article 94 of the Constitution in 1971 to permit the appointment of supernumerary judges.

[41] These were judges who were engaged to continue their duties on a contractual basis after having reached the constitutionally-mandated retirement age of 65.

[48] The office of international judge was created to enable foreign judges, lawyers and academics to be appointed to hear cases in the Singapore International Commercial Court ("SICC"), a new division of the High Court established on 1 January 2015.

[121] These judicial officers are members of the Judicial Branch of the Singapore Legal Service, and it is the duty of the Legal Service Commission to appoint, confirm, emplace on the permanent or pensionable establishment, promote, transfer, dismiss and exercise disciplinary control over such officers.

[124] The Registrar, the Deputy Registrar or an Assistant Registrar or other person acting judicially shall not be liable to be sued in any court exercising civil jurisdiction for any act done by them in the discharge of their judicial duty whether or not within the limits of their jurisdiction, provided that they at the time in good faith believed themself to have jurisdiction to do or order the act complained of.

[132] District Judges and Magistrates are appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Chief Justice.

[123] Before exercising the functions of their office, all judicial officers must take and subscribe the following oath of office and allegiance before the Senior District Judge or a Judge of the Supreme Court:[135] I, [name], having been appointed to the office of [Senior District Judge, District Judge, Magistrate, Registrar or Deputy Registrar], do solemnly swear [or affirm] that I will faithfully discharge my judicial duties and I will do right to all manner of people after the laws and usages of the Republic of Singapore without fear or favour, affection or ill-will to the best of my ability, and I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the Republic of Singapore.Judicial officers are not liable to be sued for any act done by them in the discharge of their judicial duty whether or not within the limits of their jurisdiction, provided that they at the time in good faith believed themselves to have jurisdiction to do or order the act complained of.