最高裁判所は、上訴法廷(Court of Appeal)と高等法廷(High Court)から構成されており、民事事件と刑事事件の両方を扱う。上訴法廷は、民事事件と刑事事件の両方につき、高等法廷からの上訴を扱う。上訴法廷は、高等法廷で判断を留保された法的論点についての判断も行い、さらに、下級裁判所から高等法廷へ上訴された事件における公益に関わる法的論点で、高等裁判所が判断を留保したものについて判断をする。
最高裁判所の最初の前身は、プリンスオブウェールズ島・シンガポール・マラッカ法院(Court of Judicature of Prince of Wales' Island, Singapore and Malacca)であり、1826年11月27日にイギリス国王が特許状として発布した第二司法憲章(Second Charter of Justice)によって設立された[2]。この法院は、海峡植民地総督と、開廷される地域の常駐顧問官、及びレコーダーと呼ばれるもう1人の裁判官が主宰した[3]。1855年8月12日の第三司法憲章(The Third Charter of Justice)は、この法院を承認し、海峡植民地に2人のレコーダーを、1人はプリンスオブウェールズ島、もう1人はシンガポール及びマラッカに置いた[4]。1867年4月1日における海峡植民地のイギリス直轄地への再編成[5]に続き、法院は海峡植民地最高裁判所へと替わった[6]。海峡植民地総督と常駐顧問官が裁判官になることはなくなった[7]。裁判所の構成に関する更なる変更が1873年になされた。最高裁判所は、2つの部で構成されるようになり、最高裁判所長官と上位陪席裁判官はシンガポール及びマラッカの部を構成し、ペナン裁判官と下位陪席裁判官は、ペナンの部を構成した。また、民事事件の上訴裁判所としての管轄権が与えられた。1878年、管轄権と裁判官の住居がより柔軟になり、最高裁判所の地理的な分離が暗に廃止された[8]。最高裁判所判決に関する上訴は、最初は上訴法廷に対して行い、その後、枢密院における女王に対して行うが、後者の上訴は、枢密院司法委員会において審理される[9]。
現在旧最高裁判所庁舎と呼ばれている新しい庁舎の建設は、Saint Andrew's Roadのパダンの向かい側のGrand Hotel de L'Europeの跡地て、1937年に始まった。1937年4月1日、建物の礎石(マラヤで最も大きい)がShenton Thomas総督によって置かれた。石の下には、1937年3月31日付の6社の新聞紙と海峡植民地硬貨が置かれた。このタイムカプセルは、3000年に回収される予定である。最高裁判所庁舎は、1939年8月3日、総督により開庁が宣言され、Percy McElwaine最高裁判所長官に引き渡された[111]。当初は、4つの法廷があり、その他の7つの法廷は、何年もかけて追加された。これが、最高裁判所の増大する事件のため、不十分であると判明したので、Wee Chong Jin最高裁判所長官の指示で、隣のシティホールに、1986年に追加で6つの法廷、1988年にさらに6つの法廷が増設された[114]。
例えば、1972年と1973年のセレモニーは、1月の第一土曜日に開催されている。T.F. Hwang(4 January 1972),“Supreme Court to again break with tradition”,The Straits Times: p.4; T.F. Hwang(12 January 1974),“T F Hwang takes you down memory lane”,The Straits Times: p.12
地方裁判所では、一般的に、訴額が地方裁判所の制限である250,000S$を超えない紛争を審理する権限を有している(SCA, ss. 20, 21, 25, 26(b)–(f), 28 and 29, read with s. 2(b))(「地方裁判所の制限」規定)。したがって、訴額がこの制限を超えた場合、その事件は高等法廷に移送されなければならない
Andrew Phang Boon Leong(2006),From Foundation to Legacy: The Second Charter of Justice,Singapore:Singapore Academy of Law,pp.19–23,ISBN978-981-05-7194-8.
Mavis Chionh(2005),“The Development of the Court System”,inKevin Y[ew] L[ee] Tan,Essays in Singapore Legal History,Singapore:Singapore Academy of Law; Marshall Cavendish Academic,pp.93–138 at 99–100,ISBN978-981-210-389-5.
Kevin Y[ew] L[ee] Tan(2005),“A Short Legal and Constitutional History of Singapore”,inKevin Y[ew] L[ee] Tan,Essays in Singapore Legal History,Singapore:Marshall Cavendish Academic for the Singapore Academy of Law,pp.1–72 at 42–44,ISBN978-981-210-389-5.
憲法94条(1): "The Supreme Court shall consist of the Court of Appeal and the High Court with such jurisdiction and powers as are conferred on those Courts by this Constitution or any written law."
“Singapore Assizes: Yesterday's official opening”,Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser: p.7,(10 January 1923),"Mr. E.R. Koek, said, on behalf of the members of the Bar, he wished to say that they [were] indeed pleased that His Lordship [the Chief Justice] should have revived the custom and ceremony that had taken place that day. During his 34 years experience he regretted to say that no such ceremony had taken place. In times of the East India Company, ... there was a very special ceremony, a service in the Cathedral and so on."
A.C. Dumper(20 January 1966),“Assizes ceremony [letter]”,The Straits Times: p.8, responding to the article “Ceremonial opening of the Assizes”,The Straits Times: p.22,(17 January 1966)
“Bishop will preach at legal year service”,The Straits Times: p.5,(10 January 1967); “High Court ceremonial opening for legal year”,The Straits Times: p.4,(17 January 1967); “Opening of legal year”,The Straits Times: p.4,(18 January 1967)
1968年に閲兵が行われたが(“Importance of teamwork – by Chief Justice”,The Straits Times: p.6,(9 January 1968))、1974年、ザ・ストレーツ・タイムズのコラムニストは次のように書いている。「"just some years ago" the Chief Justice would review a parade mounted by the Singapore Police but now the ceremony "is held indoors" 」(Hwang, "T F Hwang takes you down memory lane")
Chan Hiang Leng Colin v. Public Prosecutor[1994] ICHRL 26, [1994] SGHC 207, [1994] 3 S.L.R.(R.) [Singapore Law Reports (Reissue)] 209 at 231, para. 50, archived from the original on 26 October 2012, High Court(Singapore)において、高等法廷は次のように判示した。「裁判所は、憲法の規定が確実に守られるようにする権限と義務を有している。また、憲法に与えられた権限の制限を超え、または憲法が禁止していることに違反したあらゆる権限の行使、立法、及び行政が無効であることを明らかにする義務も有している。」
Supreme Court of Judicature (Transfer of Matrimonial, Divorce and Guardianship of Infants Proceedings to District Court) Order 2007, para. 2(2); Supreme Court of Judicature (Transfer of Proceedings Pursuant to Section 17A(2)) Order 2007, para. 2(2)
Supreme Court of Judicature (Transfer of Matrimonial, Divorce and Guardianship of Infants Proceedings to District Court) Order 2007 (S. 672/2007), para. 2(1); Supreme Court of Judicature (Transfer of Proceedings Pursuant to Section 17A(2)) Order 2007 (S. 673/2007), para. 2(1)
SCJA, s. 29A(3)には次のように規定されている。"For the purposes of and incidental to — (a) the hearing and determination of any appeal to the Court of Appeal; and (b) the amendment, execution and enforcement of any judgment or order made on such an appeal, the Court of Appeal shall have all the authority and jurisdiction of the court or tribunal from which the appeal was brought." s. 37(2)も参照。そこには、民事事件の上訴について次のように規定されている。 "the Court of Appeal shall have all the powers and duties, as to amendment or otherwise, of the High Court"
Walter Woon(1999),“The Doctrine of Judicial Precedent”,inKevin Y[ew] L[ee] Tan, ed.,The Singapore Legal System(2nd ed.),Singapore:Singapore University Press,pp.297–324 at 298, 301 and 306,ISBN978-9971-69-213-1
“Singapore Assizes: Trial of Kwong Yik Bank director: Alleged violation of articles”,The Straits Times: p.7,(20 July 1915),"Mr. Earnshaw inspired some more than ordinary interest, particular among members of the Bar, by his appearance in a full-bottomed ceremonial wig – an article of adornment and dignity that has seldom been seen in Singapore."
“Sir Walter Shaw: Bar's tributes to retiring Chief Justice”,The Straits Times: p.11,(9 April 1925); “Judge who introduced full bottomed wig to Malaya: Sir Walter Shaw's fine career recalled”,The Straits Times: p.12,(26 April 1937)
“Lawyers and wigs: New judge sets the example”,The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser: p.6,(3 February 1934); “Wigs on the Bench: Justice Prichard sets fashion in Penang”,The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser: p.9,(8 February 1934); “Bar dons wigs: Unique event in Malaya's legal history”,The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser: p.6,(19 February 1934),"The Court of Appeal met in Penang, for the first time this year, to-day ... For probably the first time in the history of the Malayan bench all three wore wigs, while the impressiveness of the occasion was added to by several barristers who were also wearing wigs. ... A number of solicitors were in court without wigs."; “Wigs in court: Unique event in Penang”,The Straits Times: p.12,(19 February 1934)
D.E.S. Chelliah(3 June 1978),“Should judges wear wigs?: Clothes, they say, make the man – but do wigs make the judge? [letter]”,The Straits Times: p.17
Yong Pung How(1996),“Speech Delivered at the Opening of the Legal Year 1991, 5 January 1991”,inHoo Sheau Peng;Lee Shen Dee;Phang Hsiao Chunget al.,Speeches and Judgments of Chief Justice Yong Pung How,Singapore:FT Law & Tax Asia Pacific,pp.31–38 at 36,ISBN978-981-3069-07-7. See also “No more wigs and no more 'Your Lordship' from today”,The Straits Times: p.2,(6 January 1991); “A change of wig, robe and title for judges”,The Straits Times: p.2,(25 November 1996)
Yong Pung How(1996),“Speech Delivered at the Opening of the Legal Year 1993, 9 January 1993”,inHoo Sheau Peng;Lee Shen Dee;Phang Hsiao Chunget al.,Speeches and Judgments of Chief Justice Yong Pung How,Singapore:FT Law & Tax Asia Pacific,pp.71–82 at 79–80
例えば、次の写真を参照。“Governor opens Singapore's new Supreme Court”,The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser: p.1,(4 August 1939) and “New Supreme Court opened by Governor”,The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser: p.5,(4 August 1939). See also “Assizes open with ceremony”,The Straits Times: p.12,(6 January 1936),"The Assizes service was held at St. Andrew's Cathedral, the red robes and long wigs of the three judges ... contrasting with the black robes of the lawyers."; “Pageant in red and Singapore Assizes”,The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser: p.3,(7 January 1936)
“Today's look”,The Straits Times: p.21,(10 January 1993); “New court attire: 'It's not the wig, but the grey cells under it that matter!'”,The Straits Times: p.29,(13 January 1993); “Lawyers take to new fashion in the courts”,The Straits Times: p.23,(10 March 1993).
Chionh,Mavis(2005),“The Development of the Court System”,inKevin Y[ew] L[ee] Tan,Essays in Singapore Legal History,Singapore:Singapore Academy of Law; Marshall Cavendish Academic,pp.93–138,ISBN978-981-210-389-5.
Kwek, Mean Luck [et al.], ed.(2006),Hall of Justice: Supreme Court Singapore,Singapore:Supreme Court of Singapore,ISBN978-981-05-5356-2.
Yong,Pung How(1996),“Speech Delivered at the Opening of the Legal Year 1993, 9 January 1993”,inHoo Sheau Peng;Lee Shen Dee;Phang Hsiao Chunget al.,Speeches and Judgments of Chief Justice Yong Pung How,Singapore:FT Law & Tax Asia Pacific,pp.71–82,ISBN978-981-3069-07-7.
Wee,D. Y. T. [et al.](18 July 2006),“Singapore New Supreme Court Building – Marrying Form and Function”,The Structural Engineer: Journal of the Institution of Structural Engineers84(14): 17–21.
書籍
Chan,Helena H[ui-]M[eng](1995),“The Judiciary”,The Legal System of Singapore,Singapore:Butterworths Asia,pp.41–68,ISBN978-0-409-99789-7.
The Supreme Court and Subordinate Courts of Singapore: A Charter for Court Users,Singapore:Supreme Court of Singapore & Subordinate Courts of Singapore,(1997),OCLC224717046.
Supreme Court Singapore: Excellence into the Next Millennium,Singapore:Supreme Court of Singapore,(1999),ISBN978-981-04-1266-1.
Supreme Court Singapore: The Re-organisation of the 1990s,Singapore:Supreme Court of Singapore,(1994),ISBN978-9971-88-426-0.
Tan,Kevin Y[ew] L[ee](2011),“Without Fear or Favour: The Judiciary”,An Introduction to Singapore's Constitution(rev. ed.),Singapore:Talisman Publishing,pp.107–131,ISBN978-981-08-6456-9.
Tan,Kevin Y[ew] L[ee];Thio,Li-ann(2010),“The Judiciary”,Constitutional Law in Malaysia and Singapore(3rd ed.),Singapore:LexisNexis,pp.505–630,ISBN978-981-236-795-2.
Thian,Yee Sze;Chong,Chin Chin;Lim,Sharon(2002),In Session: Supreme Court Singapore: The Building, her Heritage and her People,Singapore:Supreme Court of Singapore,ISBN978-981-04-7671-7.
Thio,Li-ann(2012),“The Judiciary”,A Treatise on Singapore Constitutional Law,Singapore:Academy Publishing,pp.451–567,ISBN978-981-07-1515-1.
逐次刊行物
Singapore Academy of Law Annual Review of Singapore Cases,Singapore:Singapore Academy of Law,(2001–present),ISSN0219-6638.
Singapore Law Reports,Singapore:Singapore Academy of Law,(1965–present),ISSN0218-3161.