On 21/05/2013,
you requested for the version in force on 21/05/2013
incorporating all amendments published on or before 21/05/2013.
The closest version currently available is that of 02/01/2011.
PART II
CONSTITUTION
3.
—(1) There shall be within Singapore the following subordinate courts with such jurisdiction as is conferred by this Act or any other written law:
(a)
District Courts;
(b)
Magistrates’ Courts;
(c)
Juvenile Courts;
(d)
Coroners’ Courts;
(e)
Small Claims Tribunals.
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(2) The Small Claims Tribunals shall have such jurisdiction as is conferred by the Small Claims Tribunals Act (Cap. 308) or any other written law.
(3) Except as provided in the Small Claims Tribunals Act, no provision of this Act or Rules of Court shall apply to a Small Claims Tribunal.
(4) The Coroners’ Courts shall have such jurisdiction as is conferred by the Coroners Act 2010 and any other written law.
4. The President may constitute under appropriate names so many subordinate courts as he shall think fit, and shall appoint some place or places as the court house or court houses of each such court.
5. The subordinate courts shall have and use as occasion may require a seal or seals of such nature as the Chief Justice may, by notification in the Gazette3, prescribe.
3 N 1, 1997 Ed. (S 230/75).
6. Subject to Rules of Court, all writs, summonses, warrants, orders, notices and other mandatory processes issued by the subordinate courts shall be signed by a judicial officer and shall bear the seal of the court issuing the same.
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6A.
—(1) Subject to subsection (2), every subordinate court shall sit on every day of the year except on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
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(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), a judicial officer may lawfully sit on a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday or during a vacation authorised under section 61 if —
(a)
the Chief District Judge, with the concurrence of the Chief Justice, has directed the judicial officer to sit on that day or during that vacation; or
(b)
in the opinion of the judicial officer, the business to be despatched is extremely urgent.
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(3) Every subordinate court shall sit at such times as the Chief Justice may from time to time appoint.
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7.
—(1) The place in which any subordinate court is held shall be deemed an open and public court to which the public generally may have access.
(2) A subordinate court shall have power to hear any proceedings or any part thereof in camera if the court is satisfied that it is expedient in the interests of justice, public security or propriety, or for other sufficient reason to do so.
(2A) A subordinate court may, in any matter or proceeding or any part thereof tried or held or to be tried or held before it, if satisfied that it is expedient in the interests of justice, public safety, public security or propriety, or for other sufficient reason to do so, order that —
(a)
the name, address or photograph of any witness; or
(b)
any evidence or any other thing likely to lead to the identification of such witness by a person other than the party to that matter or proceeding,
which is contained in any court document intended to be produced before the court, be removed or be sufficiently redacted.
(3) A subordinate court may at any time order that no person shall —
(a)
publish the name, address or photograph of any witness in any matter or proceeding or any part thereof tried or held or to be tried or held before it, or any evidence or any other thing likely to lead to the identification of any such witness; or
(b)
do any other act which is likely to lead to the identification of such a witness.
(4) Any person who acts in contravention of any order under subsection (2A) or (3) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both.
8.
—(1) The subordinate courts shall have power to punish for contempt of court where the contempt is committed —
(a)
in the face of the court; or
(b)
in connection with any proceedings in the subordinate courts.
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(2) Where contempt of court is committed in the circumstances mentioned in subsection (1), the court may impose imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or a fine not exceeding $2,000 or both.
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(3) The court may discharge the offender or remit the punishment if the court thinks it just to do so.
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(4) In any case where the contempt is punishable as an offence under section 175, 178, 179, 180 or 228 of the Penal Code (Cap. 224), the court may, in lieu of punishing the offender for contempt, refer the matter to the Public Prosecutor with a view to instituting criminal proceedings against the offender.
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