Case Update: HT S.R.L. v Wee Shuo Woon [2016] SGHC 15 – clarifying confidentiality, privilege & admissibility

Singapore Law; Legal; Lawyer

HT S.R.L. v Wee Shuo Woon [2016] SGHC 15

Significance: Singapore High Court holds that privileged & confidential emails obtained by a hacker and leaked onto WikiLeaks retain the protection of privilege & confidentiality. Court ordered for emails to be expunged from the defendant’s affidavits.

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The Straits Times Opinion: Why a Constitutional Commission to review the Elected Presidency?

My Straits Times Opinion Article

2016.02.17 Why did the PAP Government appoint a Constitutional CommissionI wrote an OpEd for the Straits Times, “Why a Constitutional Commission to review the Elected Presidency?”, explaining the background to the recently appointed Constitutional Commission, which is only the 2nd one since independence. The previous one was in 1966.

I opined on why the PAP Government did so when it had never found the need for it regarding all its constitutional amendments since 1966. I suggest the new political context where a PAP Government-backed candidate may plausibly lose the vote. This is amidst the backdrop of societies and voters moving further left in economic policies and also rising sensitivities as regards ethnic-religious minorities.

Update: make submissions to the constitutional commission

Submit in writing, signed, by 21 March, 5 PM. There may be public hearings for clarification and elaboration.

Submissions can be in Malay, Chinese, Tamil or English and need to be typed or legibly written by hand. The submissions must also be signed, whether in hardcopy or PDF form.

The precise dates of the public hearings will be announced in due course, but these will likely take place over a limited number of days between April 18 and May 15, 2016.

The submissions must be addressed to the Constitutional Commission Secretariat, and sent by post to 1, Supreme Court Lane, Singapore 178879, or e-mail to CCSecretariat@supcourt.gov.sg.

“Nearly 30 spats between neighbours head to the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunal”

Nearly 30 spats between neighbours head to the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunal, Straits Times (15 February 2016)

300 – Inquiries received by tribunals in first three months
85 – Pre-filing consultations held
27 – Actual court filings

Meaning that presumably a substantial number of parties managed to resolve their disputes prior to court action. Most disputes are regarding excessive noise. Sometimes it just takes the real threat of legal action to nudge a stonewalling person to come to the table to mediate and resolve the dispute.

Case Update: Public Prosecutor v Chow Chian Yow Joseph Brian [2016] SGHC 18 – SGHC applies regression analysis to criminal sentencing

Singapore Law; Legal; Lawyer

Public Prosecutor v Chow Chian Yow Joseph Brian [2016] SGHC 18

Significance: Singapore High Court judge cites John Stuart Mill’s “On Liberty”, applies regression analysis to plot graphs of benchmark sentences for a criminal offence, and lays down sentencing principles on offence of evading National Service (NS) without a valid exit permit under the Enlistment Act.

sentencinggraph

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Case Update: Foo Jong Long Dennis v Ang Yee Lim Lawrence [2016] SGHC 10

Singapore Law; Legal; Lawyer

Foo Jong Long Dennis v Ang Yee Lim Lawrence [2016] SGHC 10

Significance: Singapore High Court rejected party’s application to discharge opposing party’s solicitor pursuant to r 64(2) of the PCR, i.e. on the basis that the opposing party’s solicitor is likely a witness on a material question of fact at the trial.

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Case Update: Mok Kah Hong v Zheng Zhuan Yao [2016] SGCA 8 – SGCA orders 8 months’ prison for husband who defied court orders in civil / divorce case

Singapore Law; Legal; Lawyer

Mok Kah Hong v Zheng Zhuan Yao [2016] SGCA 8

Significance: Court of Appeal orders a party in a civil not criminal case (divorce proceedings: division of matrimonial assets) to 8 months’ imprisonment for defying court orders, being liable for civil contempt of court. The Court set out helpful legal principles and guidelines on committal proceedings for civil contempt of court.

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Case Update: Abdul Rashid bin Abdul Manaf v Hii Yii Ann [2016] SGHCR 1 – convenience and compellability of witnesses in determining forum non conveniens

Singapore Law; Legal; Lawyer

Abdul Rashid bin Abdul Manaf v Hii Yii Ann [2016] SGHCR 1

Signifiance: Singapore High Court sets out principles on the convenience and compellability of witnesses in determining forum non conveniens or natural forum for purposes of determining a stay of court proceedings.

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