The judicial officers of the Republic of Singapore serve in the Supreme Court, the Family Justice Courts, and the State Courts (known up to 6 March 2014 as the Subordinate Courts). They hear and determine disputes between litigants in civil cases and, in criminal matters, to determine the liability of accused persons and their sentences if they are convicted.
In the Supreme Court of Singapore, the current senior judicial officers comprise the Chief Justice, the Justices of the Court of Appeal, the Judges of the Appellate Division, the Judges of the High Court, Senior Judges, Judicial Commissioners and International Judges. The other judicial officers include the Registrar of the Supreme Court, the Deputy Registrar, Senior Assistant Registrars and Assistant Registrars.
The State Courts are headed by the Presiding Judge of the State Courts, and include Principal District Judges, a Senior District Judge, Deputy Principal District Judges, District Judges and Magistrates. The other judicial officers are the Registrar of the State Courts, the Senior Deputy Registrar, and the Deputy Registrars.
The Family Justice Courts are headed by the Presiding Judge of the Family Justice Courts, assisted by the Deputy Presiding Judge, Judges of the High Court (Family Division), and judicial officers such as District Judges and Magistrates. The District Judges and Magistrates may concurrently be appointed as Assistant Registrars.
Judicial officers of the Supreme Court
Structure The superior courts of Singapore are collectively known as the Supreme Court of Singapore. The Supreme Court consists of the Court of Appeal and the High Court, which further consists of the Appellate Division and the General Division. The Singapore International Commercial Court is a division of the General Division.
The Court of Appeal is Singapore's highest court. It is headed by the President of the Court of Appeal, who is the Chief Justice, ("SCJA"), s. 29(4). and the other members of the Court are the Justices of the Court of Appeal. The Chief Justice may appoint one or more of the Justices of the Court of Appeal as Vice-Presidents of the Court of Appeal.SCJA, s. 29(2).
The other senior judicial officers of the Supreme Court are Justices of the Court of Appeal, Judges of the Appellate Division, Judges of the High Court, Senior Judges, International Judges and Judicial Commissioners. The Chief Justice may request a Judge (but not a Judicial Commissioner) of the High Court to sit as a judge of the Court of Appeal, in which case the judge shall have all the jurisdiction, powers and privileges of a judge of the Court of Appeal.SCJA, s. 29(3).
The Supreme Court Judges rank in the following order: The Chief Justice. The Vice-Presidents of the Court of Appeal according to the order of their appointments. The Justices of the Court of Appeal (other than the Vice‑Presidents of the Court of Appeal) according to the order of their appointments. The President of the Appellate Division (if the Chief Justice is not the President of the Appellate Division). The Judges of the Appellate Division (other than the President of the Appellate Division) according to the order of their appointments. The Judges of the High Court according to the order of their appointments.SCJA, s. 4.
The other judicial officers are the Registrar, the Deputy Registrar, Senior Assistant Registrars, and Assistant Registrars.SCJA, s. 61.
Current office holders
As of May 2026, the principal judicial officeholders of the Supreme Court are as follows: +PositionJusticeChief Justice and President of the Court of AppealSundaresh MenonJustice of the Court of AppealTay Yong KwangSteven Chong Horng SiongAng Cheng HockHri Kumar Nair
Qualifications A person is qualified for appointment as a Judge or Judicial Commissioner of the Supreme Court by being a qualified person within the meaning of section 2 of the Legal Profession Act for at least 10 years,. or a member of the Singapore Legal Service, or both., Art. 96.
The Legal Profession Act defines a "qualified person" as any person who — (a) before 1 May 1993 — (i) has passed the final examination for the degree of Bachelor of Laws in the University of Malaya in Singapore, the University of Singapore or the National University of Singapore; (ii) was and still is a barrister-at-law of England or of Northern Ireland or a member of the Faculty of Advocates in Scotland; (iii) was and still is a solicitor in England or Northern Ireland or a writer to the Signet, law agent or solicitor in Scotland; or (iv) was and still is in possession of such other degree or qualification as may have been declared by the Minister for Law under section 7 of the Act in force immediately before 1 January 1994 and has obtained a certificate from the Board of Legal Education under that section; (b) on or after 1 May 1993 possesses such qualifications and satisfies such requirements as the Minister may prescribe under section 2(2) of the Act; or (c) is approved by the Board as a qualified person under section 7.Legal Profession Act, section 2(1).
Appointment The Chief Justice, Justices of the Court of Appeal, the Judges of the Appellate Division and the Judges of the High Court are appointed by the President if he, acting in his discretion, concurs with the advice of the Prime Minister.Constitution, Art. 95(1). The Prime Minister must consult the Chief Justice before tendering his advice to the President as to the appointment of a judge.Constitution, Art. 95(2).
In order to facilitate the disposal of business in the Supreme Court, the President may if he concurs with the advice of the Prime Minister, appoint a person qualified for appointment as a Judge of the Supreme Court to be a Judicial Commissioner of the Supreme Court for such period or periods as the President thinks fit. A Judicial Commissioner so appointed may, in respect of such class or classes of cases as the Chief Justice may specify, exercise the powers and perform the functions of a Judge of the High Court. Anything done by a Judicial Commissioner when acting in accordance with the terms of the appointment shall have the same validity and effect as if done by a Judge of that Court and, in respect thereof, shall have the same powers and enjoy the same immunities as being a Judge of that Court.Constitution, Art. 94(4). A person may be appointed to be a Judicial Commissioner to hear and determine a specified case only.Constitution, Art. 94(5).
A person qualified for appointment as a Judge of the Supreme Court or a person who has ceased to hold the office of a Judge of the Supreme Court (for instance, due to retirement), may be appointed by the Chief Justice, or may sit as a Judge of the High Court or as a Justice of the Court of Appeal, if designated for the purpose (as occasion requires), and such person shall hold office for such period or periods as the President shall direct, if the President concurs with the advice of the Prime Minister.Constitution, Art. 94(3).
The Chief Justice and every person appointed or designated to sit as a Justice of the Court of Appeal, a Judge of the Appellate Division, a Judge of the High Court, a Judicial Commissioner, a Senior Judge or an International Judge must take, in the presence of the President, the following Oath of Office:Constitution, Art. 97 and paragraph 6 of the First Schedule.
Tenure of office A judge of the Supreme Court holds office until one of the following takes place:
The judge dies in office. The judge attains the age of 65 years or such later time not being later than six months after they attain that age, as the President may approve.Singapore Constitution, Art. 98(1). The validity of anything done by a Judge shall not be questioned on the ground that they had attained the age at which they were required to retire.Constitution, Art. 98(9). The judge resigns their office by writing under their hand addressed to the President.Constitution, Art. 98(2). The judge if removed from office by the President on the recommendation of a tribunal appointed by the President that a judge ought to be removed on the ground of misbehaviour or of inability, from infirmity of body or mind or any other cause, to properly discharge the functions of their office.Singapore Constitution, Art. 98(3). The procedure for the removal of a Judge is as follows: The Prime Minister, or the Chief Justice after consulting with the Prime Minister, may represent to the President that a Judge ought to be removed on one or more of the above grounds. The President shall appoint a tribunal and refer the representation of the Prime Minister or Chief Justice to it for its recommendation on the matter. The tribunal shall consist of not less than five persons who hold or have held office as a Judge of the Supreme Court or, if it appears to the President expedient to make such an appointment, persons who hold or have held equivalent office in any part of the Commonwealth. The tribunal is presided over by the member first in the following order: the Chief Justice according to their precedence among themselves and other members according to the order of their appointment to an office qualifying them for membership (the older coming before the younger of two members with appointments of the same date).Constitution, Art. 98(4). Pending any reference and report, the President may, if they, acting in their discretion, concur with the recommendation of the Prime Minister and, in the case of any other Judge, after consulting with the Chief Justice, suspend a Judge of the Supreme Court from the exercise of their functions.Constitution, Art. 98(5).
Remuneration Parliament is required by the Constitution to provide for the remuneration of the judges of the Supreme Court,Constitution, Art. 98(6). and it has done so by enacting the Judges' Remuneration Act. and issuing the Judges' Remuneration (Annual Pensionable Salary) Order pursuant to the Act.Judges' Remuneration (Annual Pensionable Salary) Order (Cap. 147, Order 1). Upon retirement or death in office, a judge may be granted a gratuity granted by the PresidentSection 4 Judges Remuneration Act although there is no entitlement under the Act to such gratuity.Section 4(5) Judges Remuneration Act]
Judicial independence
To secure the independence of the judiciary, the Singapore Constitution makes the following provision:
The office of a Judge of the Supreme Court shall not be abolished during their continuance in office.Constitution, Art. 94(2). A Judge of the Supreme Court holds office until they attain the age of 65 years or such later time not being later than six months after they attain that age, as the President may approve, and may not be removed from office unless the procedure set out in the "Tenure of office" subsection above is followed.Constitution, Art.s 98(3), (4) and (5). The remuneration and other terms of office (including pension rights) of a Judge of the Supreme Court shall not be altered to their disadvantage after their appointment.Constitution, Art. 98(8). The conduct of a Judge of the Supreme Court or a person designated to sit as such a Judge or a Judicial Commissioner shall not be discussed in Parliament except on a substantive motion of which notice has been given by not less than one-quarter of the total number of the Members of Parliament.Constitution, Art. 99.
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 "scandalising" the court or the judge); or calculated to obstruct or interfere with the due course of justice.Attorney-General v. Pang Cheng Lian [1972–1974] S.L.R. [Singapore Law Reports] 658, High Court (Singapore); Attorney-General v. Wong Hong Toy [1982–1983] S.L.R. 398, High Court (Singapore): see .