High Court

The High Court has the power to try cases at the very start, even if such cases within the jurisdiction of the Subordinate Courts and they are normally brought there. This is known as "original" jurisdiction. It can also function as a higher court hearing an appeal against a decision made in the Subordinate Courts.

Civil Jurisdiction

The judges of the High Court have unlimited jurisdiction to try all civil proceedings as they start. There is no monetary limit to the jurisdiction of this court.

The court has the power to:

1. Appoint and control guardians and infants;
2. Appoint and control guardians for persons having mental illness and persons of unsound mind; and
3. Grant Probates of Wills and Testaments, Letters of Administration of the estates of deceased persons and to alter or revoke such grants.

The High Court can also hear appeals from the District Courts, the Magistrates Courts and the Juvenile Courts.

The High Court can also review the decisions of the Subordinate Courts. This is called revisionary powers. This means a High Court judge may get the records of any Subordinate Court proceeding and examine it. This examination is carried out to ensure the correctness, legality or propriety of the lower court's decision. If such a decision recorded or passed in the lower court is considered legally wrong by the High Court judge, there is an "error of law on the face of the record". In this case, the High Court judge may correct it by imposing his own decision or order the lower court to try the case all over again.

For those who are skeptical about the idea of justice, one needs only to imagine all this trouble and effort involved in doing justice!

Cases involving claims for losses and compensation involving shipping matters must be brought before the High Court This is known as Admiralty jurisdiction.

Criminal Jurisdiction

The High Court has jurisdiction to try all offences committed:

1. Within Singapore;
2. On board any ship or aircraft registered in Singapore;
3. By a Singapore citizen on the high seas or any aircraft;
4. Causing death by rash or negligent act;
5. By any person on the high seas where the offence is piracy by the law of nations;
6. By any person within or outside Singapore where the offence is punishable under the Hijacking and Protection of Aircraft Act; and in any place or by any person if it is provided in any written law that the offence is triable in Singapore.

The High Court also decides on:

1. appeals from District or Magistrates' Courts; and
2. Hearing points of law referred by District or Magistrates' Courts in special cases.