Addenda to President's Address: Legal reforms, better access to justice among MinLaw’
SINGAPORE: Laws in Singapore will continue to be refined to make sure that they remain “progressive, modern and relevant” to the evolving needs of the society, said Law Minister K Shanmugam on Wednesday (May 9).
The Penal Code, for one, is under review by the Ministry of Law (MinLaw) and the Ministry of Home Affairs in light of a changing crime environment. The review intends to cover new criminal offences, introduce measures to strengthen protection for vulnerable victims and assess the adequacy of existing punishments for sexual offences.
AdvertisementThe review committee, set up in 2016, will make its recommendations later this year, added Mr Shanmugam in MinLaw’s addendum to the President’s address.
Also underway is a broad-based review of the civil justice system to keep legal costs affordable and reduce the complexity of civil proceedings. Measures to make it easier and more effective for plaintiffs to enforce judgments given in their favour, such as maintenance orders made in matrimonial disputes, are also being studied.
The law ministry also established the Family Justice Review Committee to better safeguard the welfare of the child and the family in family-related litigation.
Improving access to justice is also on the agenda, with the ministry continuing to provide legal aid and ensuring that justice remains accessible to vulnerable Singaporeans, said Mr Shanmugam.
AdvertisementAdvertisementFrameworks for dispute resolution through the Community Mediation Centre, Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals and Small Claims Tribunals (SCT) will also be enhanced.
For instance, the claims limits of the SCT, which aims to be a cost-effective avenue for people and businesses to resolve disputes without the need for legal representation, is currently being reviewed.
Meanwhile, efforts to drive Singapore’s development as an international legal and services hub will continue, said Mr Shanmugam.
MinLaw will work closely with international dispute resolution institutions, such as the Singapore International Arbitration Centre and the Singapore International Mediation Centre.
The Maxwell Chambers, which will triple in size with its expansion into the adjacent Red Dot Traffic Building, will also strengthen the country’s position as a venue of choice for international dispute resolution.
Mr Shanmugam added that help will be on hand for law firms and lawyers to acquire the expertise required to better capture growth opportunities in the future economy.
This included initiatives to get law firms to adopt technology, such as the S$2.8 million Tech Start for Law programme launched last year.
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SINGAPORE: Laws in Singapore will continue to be refined to make sure that they remain “progressive, modern and relevant” to the evolving needs of the society, said Law Minister K Shanmugam on Wednesday (May 9).
The Penal Code, for one, is under review by the Ministry of Law (MinLaw) and the Ministry of Home Affairs in light of a changing crime environment. The review intends to cover new criminal offences, introduce measures to strengthen protection for vulnerable victims and assess the adequacy of existing punishments for sexual offences.
AdvertisementThe review committee, set up in 2016, will make its recommendations later this year, added Mr Shanmugam in MinLaw’s addendum to the President’s address.
Also underway is a broad-based review of the civil justice system to keep legal costs affordable and reduce the complexity of civil proceedings. Measures to make it easier and more effective for plaintiffs to enforce judgments given in their favour, such as maintenance orders made in matrimonial disputes, are also being studied.
The law ministry also established the Family Justice Review Committee to better safeguard the welfare of the child and the family in family-related litigation.
Improving access to justice is also on the agenda, with the ministry continuing to provide legal aid and ensuring that justice remains accessible to vulnerable Singaporeans, said Mr Shanmugam.
AdvertisementAdvertisementFrameworks for dispute resolution through the Community Mediation Centre, Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals and Small Claims Tribunals (SCT) will also be enhanced.
For instance, the claims limits of the SCT, which aims to be a cost-effective avenue for people and businesses to resolve disputes without the need for legal representation, is currently being reviewed.
Meanwhile, efforts to drive Singapore’s development as an international legal and services hub will continue, said Mr Shanmugam.
MinLaw will work closely with international dispute resolution institutions, such as the Singapore International Arbitration Centre and the Singapore International Mediation Centre.
The Maxwell Chambers, which will triple in size with its expansion into the adjacent Red Dot Traffic Building, will also strengthen the country’s position as a venue of choice for international dispute resolution.
Mr Shanmugam added that help will be on hand for law firms and lawyers to acquire the expertise required to better capture growth opportunities in the future economy.
This included initiatives to get law firms to adopt technology, such as the S$2.8 million Tech Start for Law programme launched last year.
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