- New bill aims to protect Singapore’s justice system from abuse e.g. lawfare
- Egregious court process abuse will be considered contempt of court.
- The bill covers all court proceedings in Singapore.
Singapore’s Ministry of Law is taking steps to safeguard the legal system from misuse with a new bill introduced in Parliament.
Key Terms Simplified
- Contempt of court is when someone disrespects or disobeys the court.
- Lawfare is using the law as a weapon to harm or gain advantage over others.
- Unmeritorious claims are legal cases without good reasons.
- Egregious court process abuse means unfairly misusing the court system.
New Bill to Protect Singapore’s Courts
On 14 October 2024, the Ministry of Law introduced a new bill in Parliament.
The bill is called the Administration of Justice (Protection) (Amendment) Bill 2024.
It aims to stop people from misusing the court system.
According to Ministry of Law, “To deter such abuses of the court process, the Bill will amend the AOJPA to make clear to the public and potential court users that egregious cases of abuse of process will amount to contempt of court.”
This means serious misuse of courts will be treated as contempt of court.
What the Bill Covers
The bill covers all court proceedings in Singapore.
It defines specific acts as contempt, such as:
- Conducting court proceedings that involve deception
- Filing claims that are known to be false
- Starting many groundless court cases
These actions can harm Singapore’s legal system and public trust.
The bill also says those who cause or help such conduct will be liable for contempt.
Bill Takes Aim At Lawfare
The Ministry of Law stated, “Egregious cases of abuse of court processes undermine the authority of the court and impede the administration of justice.”
This bill aims to stop “lawfare“, where people use the law to bully others.
It protects people from facing fake claims in court.
This will prevent innocent parties from being hurt financially and emotionally.
| Problem | Solution |
|---|---|
| Abuse of court process | Define it as contempt of court |
| Fake claims in court | Punish those who file them |
| Multiple groundless cases | Treat as contempt of court |
How Courts Will Use This Bill
The Ministry of Law explained, “Ultimately, the court will be able to examine the circumstances of the case, when considering whether the conduct constitutes contempt.”
This means judges will look at each case carefully.
They will decide if someone’s actions are contempt of court.
The bill does not change what counts as contempt of court.
It only makes it clearer for everyone to understand.
What Happens Next
The bill had its First Reading in Parliament on 14 October 2024.
It will go through more readings and debates before becoming law.
If passed, it will change how courts handle abuse of the legal system.
This could lead to stricter checks on cases brought to court.
Judges will have more power to stop misuse of the court system.
Do you think this new bill will result in fair justice for everyone in Singapore?
