REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE
GOVERNMENT GAZETTE
ACTS SUPPLEMENT
Published by Authority
NO. 24]Friday, October 15 [2021
The following Act was passed by Parliament on 14 September 2021 and assented to by the President on 28 September 2021:—
Courts (Civil and Criminal Justice)
Reform Act 2021

(No. 25 of 2021)

I assent.

HALIMAH YACOB,
President.
28 September 2021.
Date of Commencement: 1 April 2022 Sections 2, 3(1), 4 to 9, 11 to 28, 30 to 56(1), 57 to 68, 69(a), (c) and (d), 70, 71, 72, 73, 76 to 95, 97 to 105, 107 to 125, 127, 128, 129(a), (b), (c) and (d), 130, 131, 133 to 156, 157(b), 158 to 192, 193(a) to (e), 194 to 210, 212 to 218, 219(a), (b) and (c), 220, 221(d), 222, 223, 224, 226, 228 and 229
Date of Commencement: 30 June 2022 Section 126
Date of Commencement: 1 July 2022 Section 157(a), (c) and (d)
Date of Commencement: 1 October 2022 Sections 56(2) and 69(b)
An Act to amend the Interpretation Act, the Administration of Justice (Protection) Act 2016, the Arbitration Act, the Attorney‑General (Additional Functions) Act, the Civil Law Act, the Criminal Procedure Code, the Evidence Act, the Family Justice Act 2014, the International Arbitration Act, the Legal Profession Act, the Prisons Act, the State Courts Act, the Supreme Court of Judicature Act and certain other Acts, to reform, modernise, update and enhance court processes in the civil and criminal justice systems.
Be it enacted by the President with the advice and consent of the Parliament of Singapore, as follows:
Short title and commencement
1.  This Act is the Courts (Civil and Criminal Justice) Reform Act 2021 and comes into operation on a date that the Minister appoints by notification in the Gazette.
PART 1
AMENDMENT OF INTERPRETATION ACT
Amendment of section 41A
2.  Section 41A of the Interpretation Act is amended —
(a)by deleting the words “1st January 2006” in subsection (1) and substituting the words “the date of commencement of section 2 of the Courts (Civil and Criminal Justice) Reform Act 2021”;
(b)by deleting the words “originating summons” wherever they appear in subsections (1)(i) and (2) and substituting in each case the words “originating application”;
(c)by deleting the words “a writ of summons” in subsection (4) and substituting the words “an originating claim”; and
(d)by deleting subsection (5) and substituting the following subsection:
“(5)  To avoid doubt, any application that —
(a)was made to a Court before the date of commencement of section 2 of the Courts (Civil and Criminal Justice) Reform Act 2021 under any written law to which subsection (1) applies; and
(b)is pending before the Court on or after that date,
continues, unless otherwise ordered by the Court, to proceed in accordance with the provisions of the relevant written law and the practice and procedure as were in force and applicable in relation to that application immediately before that date, until the application is finally disposed of by the Court.”.
New sections 41D and 41E
3.—(1)  The Interpretation Act is amended by inserting, immediately after section 41C, the following sections:
“References to writs, etc.
41D.—(1)  As from the date of commencement of section 3(1) of the Courts (Civil and Criminal Justice) Reform Act 2021, a reference in any written law to a matter mentioned in the first column is to be construed as a reference to the corresponding expression in the second column, subject to the exceptions in subsection (2) and section 41E:
First column
Second column
Old expression
New expression
(a)Writ of summons
Originating claim
(b)Originating summons
Originating application
(c)Subpoena
Order to attend court
(d)Writ of execution
Enforcement order
(e)Writ of seizure and sale
Enforcement order for seizure and sale of property
(f)Writ of possession
Enforcement order for possession of property
(g)Garnishee order
Enforcement order for attachment of a debt
(h)Memorandum of appearance
Notice of intention to contest or not contest
(i)Entry of appearance in relation to a writ of summons
Filing and service of a notice of intention to contest or not contest
(j)Leave of court
Permission of court
(k)Plaintiff
Claimant
(l)Ex parte application
Application without notice.
(2)  Subsection (1) does not apply in relation to any proceedings in the Family Division of the High Court, a Family Court or a Youth Court.
(3)  A reference in any written law to a matter mentioned in the second column of the table in subsection (1) in relation to any proceedings in the Family Division of the High Court, a Family Court or a Youth Court is to be construed as a reference to the corresponding expression in the first column of that table.
References to originating claims, etc., in relation to Singapore International Commercial Court
41E.  As from the date of commencement of section 3(1) of the Courts (Civil and Criminal Justice) Reform Act 2021, a reference in any written law to a matter mentioned in the first column in relation to any proceedings in the Singapore International Commercial Court is to be construed as a reference to the corresponding expression in the second column:
First column
Second column
(a)Originating claim
Originating application
(b)Writ of summons
Originating application
(c)Notice of intention to contest or not contest
Defendant’s statement
(d)Memorandum of appearance
Defendant’s statement
(e)Filing and service of a notice of intention to contest or not contest
Filing and service of a defendant’s statement
(f)Entry of appearance in relation to a writ of summons
Filing and service of a defendant’s statement.
”.
(2)  The Interpretation Act, as amended by subsection (1), is further amended by deleting subsections (2) and (3) of section 41D and substituting the following subsections:
“(2)  Despite subsection (1), as from the date of commencement of section 29 of the Courts (Civil and Criminal Justice) Reform Act 2021, a reference in any written law to a matter mentioned in the first column of item (a), (b), (h), (i), (k) or (l) in the table in subsection (1) in relation to any proceedings in the Family Division of the High Court, a Family Court or a Youth Court is not to be construed as a reference to the corresponding expression in the second column of that item.
(3)  A reference in any written law to a matter mentioned in the second column of item (a), (b), (h), (i), (k) or (l) in the table in subsection (1) in relation to any proceedings in the Family Division of the High Court, a Family Court or a Youth Court is to be construed as a reference to the corresponding expression in the first column of that item.”.
Singapore Statutes Online
© 2024 Attorney-General's Chambers of Singapore,
Last updated 20 Apr 2024
Singapore Statutes Online is provided by the Legislation Division of the Attorney-General's Chambers of Singapore.