Access to Justice

On 1 September 2022, an additional electronic method to effect substituted service of court documents for civil proceedings via the Singpass app Inbox was introduced on the eLitigation platform. This enhancement is part of the SG Courts’ efforts to drive legal transformation and innovation to better serve the needs of court users in today’s digital society.

Litigants may seek to use substituted service when attempts at personal service of court documents have been unsuccessful. Frequently-used methods of substituted service include posting of court documents on the front door or gate of the recipient’s premises, registered post with Advice of Receipt to the recipient’s address, and electronic means such as email or Internet transmission. Newspaper advertisements are also used in some cases.

Subject to obtaining permission from the court, subscribers of the eLitigation platform can opt for the additional method of substituted service. The recipient will receive a ‘push’ notification through the Singpass app Inbox in the ‘For Action’ category, informing them of the service of court documents.

Recipients (for example, defendants or respondents to a claim or application) will benefit from:

• A discreet and direct way of being notified of the service of court documents. Recipients can privately view the relevant documents electronically, after carrying out authentication with Singpass. Some other methods of substituted service may inadvertently allow other persons to view the documents.
• Assurance that the documents viewed using the ‘push’ notification through the Singpass app Inbox are authentic. The notification is an official communication transmitted through secure and authenticated channels.

Benefits to the litigant carrying out substituted service include:

• Potential cost savings.
• Enhanced speed of effecting substituted service.
• Ability to carry out service where the recipient’s address may not be known or may have changed.