How to locate Singapore cases

Case Law

Quick Introduction

Reading the case name

Civil CasesIndo Commercial Society (Pte) Ltd v Ebrahim & Anor (S’pore)

Fisher v Bell (UK)

Criminal Cases

Public Prosecutor v Too Yong Wei(S’pore)

R v Smith (UK)

Reading the case citation

Year Vol Report Pg

[1992] 2 SLR(R) 667

The citation tells us that the case is reported in vol 2 of the Singapore Law Reports (Reissue) for 1992, starting on page 667.

Singapore Law Reports

English case citation

Year Vol Report Pg

[1893] 1 QB 491

The citation tells us that the case is reported in vol 1 of the Queens Bench Law Report for 1893, starting on page 491.

Reading citations

Neutral citation

Year of decision Court Sequential Number

[2007] SGHC 24

This is a system of citation where each written judgment from a particular level of court is assigned a sequential number, starting from 1 at the beginning of each calendar year.

Singapore Neutral Citations:

SGCA – Court of appeal

SGDC – District Court

SGFC – Family Court

SGHC – High Court

SGJC – Juvenile Court

SGMC – Magistrates Court

SGSC – Supreme Court

SGSCT – Small Claims Tribunal

Checking abbreviations

What do the abbreviations mean?

How do you know whether it is a Singapore case or an English case?

Cardiff Index to Legal Abbreviations

http://www.legalabbrevs.cardiff.ac.uk/

WLR citation

[2002] 2 WLR 1315

Checking abbreviations

What do the abbreviations mean?

How do you know whether it is a Singapore case or an English case?

Cardiff Index to Legal Abbreviations

http://www.legalabbrevs.cardiff.ac.uk/

Which database do you use?

Which Database?

Singapore Cases UK Cases

[Available via LawNet]

Locating a Singapore case

Planmarine AG v Maritime and Part Authority of Singapore

[1999] 1 SLR(R) 669

Which database do I use?

Use LawNet

[2007] SGCA 56

This mind map is useful for identifying case law databases for other jurisdictions. It is not a comprehensive list. It is merely a guide to the legal resources available to SMU.

For more information

 http://researchguides.smu.edu.sg/caselaw

Email: libresearch@smu.edu.sg

Questions