Majority of court case hearings to resume on 8 June

The Supreme Court will not take a recess in June to deal with the backlog.

Hearings for most court cases will resume on 8 June, according to Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon. State Courts and the Family Justice Courts (FJC) will also continue operating.

The Supreme Court will not take a recess in June to deal with the backlog accumulated in the past 2 months.

However, courts will continue to use video and teleconferencing for “various hearings” after the circuit breaker period with remote interpretation services available at each of the courts.

On the other hand, no more than two lawyers or litigants for each party can appear when physical attendance is required. Hearings will also be scheduled at staggered times to reduce the number of people in courtrooms and waiting areas.

Safe distancing measures will remain, including spaced-out seating arrangements in courtrooms and common areas to minimise risk of transmission. Mask-wearing by practitioners and court users will also be mandatory whilst inside the premises.

Court users are also required to use the SafeEntry mobile application when entering and exiting court buildings. Visitors will also be subjected to temperature screenings before they enter the court premises.

Further, visitors who had any contact with any confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases within the last two weeks will be denied entry.

Meanwhile, facilities such as the libraries and cafe will remain closed and all guided tours will continue to be suspended.