Addressing Members’ Concerns on Practice Issues

The President, Vice-Presidents, and the respective Chairpersons and Council representatives of the Civil Practice Committee and Criminal Practice Committee met with the Registrar and judicial officers of the Subordinate Courts on 27 March 2006. 

This meeting followed the Society’s letter dated 27 October 2005 to the Registrar, which raised various concerns brought up by members during Council’s dialogue sessions with members. 

One issue raised by the Society was members’ feedback concerning certain difficulties they encountered in the court’s fixing of hearing dates such as the fixing of trials back to back or on dates on which members already have other hearings to attend or fixed within a very short time period. 

The Registrar and judicial officers assured the Society that whilst the Subordinate Courts were obliged to maximise the use of available hearing dates in order to maximise public resources, the Subordinate Courts generally sought to accommodate members’ schedules whenever possible. 

If members encountered any difficulties with hearing dates at the pre-trial conference (‘PTC’) stage, members were advised to inform the PTC judge of such difficulties. Members were also advised to write directly to the Registrar should they encounter any difficulties with hearing dates. 

In respect of hearings in the Primary Dispute Resolution Centre (‘PDRC’), members were advised to attend personally at the PDRC to seek alternative hearing dates, if so required. 

To facilitate greater interaction between the Bench and Bar, the Society proposed participation by members of the Subordinate Courts’ judiciary in events organised by the Society’s Continuing Professional Development department as speakers on appropriate subjects. This proposal was welcomed by the Subordinate Courts. The Registrar informed the Society that the Subordinate Courts would be organising a series of seminars to provide legal updates for practitioners. The Subordinate Courts also proposed participation by practitioners as speakers in seminars organised by the Subordinate Courts where appropriate. This proposal was welcomed by the Society. 

Reproduced on the next page is a copy of a letter from the Registrar dated 12 April 2006, concerning issues raised at the meeting, for members’ information.

Chua Lik Teng

The Law Society of Singapore

E-mail: likteng@lawsoc.org.sg