Division 4 — Appellate jurisdiction
[40/2019]
Appellate criminal jurisdiction
19.  The appellate criminal jurisdiction of the General Division consists of —
(a)the hearing of appeals from District Courts or Magistrates’ Courts before one or more Judges according to the provisions of the law for the time being in force relating to criminal procedure;
(b)the hearing of points of law reserved by special cases submitted by a District Court or Magistrate’s Court before one or more Judges according to the provisions of the law for the time being in force relating to criminal procedure;
(ba)the hearing of reviews of the orders of District Courts or Magistrates’ Courts in extradition proceedings;
[Act 17 of 2022 wef 01/07/2022]
(c)the hearing of appeals from Family Courts when exercising criminal jurisdiction; and
(d)the hearing of appeals from Youth Courts.
[27/2014; 40/2019]
Appellate civil jurisdiction
20.  The appellate civil jurisdiction of the General Division consists of —
(a)the hearing of appeals from Family Courts when exercising jurisdiction of a quasi-criminal or civil nature;
(b)the hearing of appeals from District Courts and Magistrates’ Courts when exercising jurisdiction of a quasi-criminal or civil nature; and
(c)the hearing of appeals from other tribunals as may from time to time be prescribed by any written law.
[30/2010; 27/2014; 40/2019]
Appeals from District and Magistrates’ Courts
21.—(1)  Subject to the provisions of this Act and any other written law, an appeal lies to the General Division from a decision of a District Court or Magistrate’s Court only with the permission of that District Court or Magistrate’s Court or the General Division in the following cases:
(a)any case where the amount in dispute, or the value of the subject matter, at the hearing before that District Court or Magistrate’s Court (excluding interest and costs) does not exceed $60,000 or such other amount as may be specified by an order made under subsection (3);
(b)any case specified in the Third Schedule.
[40/2019]
[Act 25 of 2021 wef 01/04/2022]
(2)  [Deleted by Act 25 of 2021 wef 01/04/2022]
(2A)  An order of the General Division giving or refusing permission under subsection (1) is final.
[30/2010; 40/2019]
[Act 25 of 2021 wef 01/04/2022]
(2B)  [Deleted by Act 40 of 2019]
(3)  The President may, after consulting the Chief Justice, by order in the Gazette, vary the amount mentioned in subsection (1).
Powers of rehearing
22.—(1)  All appeals to the General Division in the exercise of its appellate civil jurisdiction are to be by way of rehearing.
[40/2019]
(2)  In hearing and deciding an appeal, the General Division has all the powers and duties, as to amendment or otherwise, of the court from which the appeal was brought.
[Act 25 of 2021 wef 01/04/2022]
(3)  Subject to the provisions of this Act and any other written law, the General Division may receive further evidence —
(a)by oral examination in court;
(b)by affidavit;
(c)by deposition taken before an examiner or a commissioner; or
(d)in any other manner as the court may allow.
[Act 25 of 2021 wef 01/04/2022]
(4)  Except as provided in subsection (5), such further evidence may be given to the General Division only with the permission of the General Division and on special grounds.
[Act 25 of 2021 wef 01/04/2022]
(5)  Such further evidence may be given to the General Division without permission if the evidence relates to matters occurring after the date of the decision appealed against.
[Act 25 of 2021 wef 01/04/2022]
(6)  The General Division may draw any inference of fact, give any judgment and make any order.
[Act 25 of 2021 wef 01/04/2022]
(7)  The powers in this section —
(a)may be exercised in relation to any part of the decision appealed against, including any part of the decision appealed against to which the appeal does not relate; and
(b)may be exercised in favour of any party to the decision appealed against, including any party to the decision appealed against who has not appealed against the decision.
[Act 25 of 2021 wef 01/04/2022]
Oral hearing not needed for appellate matters generally
22A.—(1)  Subject to subsection (2), the General Division may decide any matter in its appellate civil jurisdiction without hearing oral arguments, other than a matter prescribed by the Rules of Court or the Family Justice Rules.
(2)  Subsection (1) does not allow any part of a proceeding where oral evidence is given to be conducted without an oral hearing, unless all the parties consent.
(3)  Subject to subsection (4), the General Division may, in any matter that the General Division may decide without hearing oral arguments, direct that the matter be heard in an asynchronous manner by exchange of written correspondence with the party or parties using such means of communication as directed by the General Division.
(4)  The General Division must not hear a matter in an asynchronous manner if to do so would be inconsistent with the court’s duty to ensure that the proceedings are conducted fairly to all parties.
(5)  To avoid doubt, this section does not affect the power of the General Division to hear oral arguments before deciding any matter that may be decided without hearing oral arguments.
[Act 25 of 2021 wef 01/04/2022]
Summary dismissal of certain appeals
22B.—(1)  The General Division may, on its own motion, summarily dismiss any appeal to the General Division in the exercise of its appellate civil jurisdiction, if it is satisfied of any of the following:
(a)it does not have the jurisdiction to hear and determine the appeal;
(b)every issue in the appeal has already been decided by the General Division, the Appellate Division or the Court of Appeal in an earlier matter in which the appellant was involved, and the appeal therefore has no merit;
(c)such conditions as may be prescribed by the Rules of Court or the Family Justice Rules are met.
(2)  Before summarily dismissing any appeal under subsection (1), the General Division must —
(a)give the appellant a reasonable opportunity to show cause why the appeal should not be summarily dismissed; and
(b)consider any representations made by the appellant.
(3)  In this section, “appeal” includes part of an appeal.
[Act 25 of 2021 wef 01/04/2022]