Media Release: Small Claims Tribunals Commemorate 40th Anniversary with Book Launch and MOU Signing

The State Courts commemorated the 40th anniversary of the Small Claims Tribunals (SCTs) with a symposium to honour the achievements and contributions of the SCTs over the past four decades to the administration of justice, and explore future innovations to further enhance access to justice for the community. The symposium also included a panel discussion on the topic: “The Next 40 Years: Challenges, Trends and Innovations”.

2     Established in 1985 under the Small Claims Tribunals Act, the SCTs were the first judicial body set up to provide an avenue for consumers to seek quick redress against errant merchants in a less formal and inexpensive forum. The architecture of the SCTs’ process, through its streamlined and judge-led procedures, and relaxation of the strict rules of evidence, is designed to empower court users to navigate the justice process and present their cases on their own. Over the past four decades, the jurisdiction of the SCTs have been expanded beyond consumer disputes involving contracts for goods and services to include landlord-tenant disputes arising out of residential leases not exceeding two years, unfair practices in hire-purchase agreements, and other statutory claims. The tribunal's monetary jurisdiction has also increased during this period. It now covers claims up to $20,000, or $30,000 with both parties' written consent. 

3     To enhance accessibility, the Community Justice and Tribunals System (CJTS) was launched in 2017 specifically to guide Self-Represented Persons through the entire tribunal process, including in the SCTs, from the time the claim is filed to the time the case is concluded, and the tribunal order is generated. The CJTS is an end-to-end electronic filing and case management system and brings the whole justice process online.

4     Over the last 40 years, the SCTs have distinguished themselves as a forum delivering efficient, affordable and quality justice for small value disputes. This has paved the way for the establishment of other specialised judicial tribunals dealing with employment claims and other community-related disputes.

Launch of commemorative publication tracing the genesis and evolution of the SCTs

5     A commemorative publication tracing the genesis and evolution of the SCTs, notable cases, and the critical role they have played in the fair administration of justice, was launched at the symposium. The first-of-its-kind resource on the SCTs, authored by officers from the Community Courts and Tribunals, includes forewords penned by The Honourable the Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon and Senior Legal Advisor to Minister for Foreign Affairs, Professor S Jayakumar, alongside a preface by the Presiding Judge of the State Courts, Justice Vincent Hoong. (See Annex B – Factsheet for the SCTs Commemorative Publication)

Signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the SCTs and Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE)

6     In another first, the SCTs and Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen cooperation in the management of consumer disputes. The three-year MoU aims to enhance access to justice for consumer disputes, strengthen institutional practices and processes in handling consumer-related claims, and enhance collaboration on public education and outreach efforts on matters within the SCTs' scope. Representing the parties to sign the MoU were Chief Executive (Office of the Chief Justice), Ms Juthika Ramanathan and President of CASE, Mr Melvin Yong.

7     The MoU reinforces the SCTs and CASE’s common commitment to strengthen access to justice. In this connection, notable features of the MoU include CASE officers providing holistic support to consumers who require assistance in appropriate cases before the SCTs and acting as representatives of consumers who are unable to present their own case in the SCTs proceedings. The MoU also institutionalises the collaboration between both organisations on public outreach and education efforts to increase the public’s awareness and understanding of the law and relevant processes in consumer dispute resolution through the SCTs. (See Annex C – Factsheet of MoU between the SCTs and CASE)

AI-driven translation service for cases filed in SCTs

8     In his welcome address, the Presiding Judge of the State Courts, Justice Vincent Hoong, announced that the SCTs have introduced complimentary AI-driven translation services to translate court correspondence into Chinese, Malay and Tamil for documents in cases filed in the SCTs. Justice Hoong shared that this initiative, in collaboration with Harvey AI, “will expand in scope to allow parties to obtain AI-generated summaries of case documents”. 

9    Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon emphasised the importance of using technology to enhance access to justice in his keynote speech: “Securing access to justice is a crucial component of our efforts to safeguard public trust in our justice system as a whole … Innovative solutions that harness the power of new technologies can go a long way in bridging the gaps that may stand in the way of accessing justice, and they can do so in ways and at a scale that would not be possible if we were to rely on human industry alone.”

Issued by: SG Courts
16 April 2025

Principal District Judge, Community Courts and Tribunals

Title: Small Claims Tribunals in Singapore: Accessible · Affordable · Empowering

Editor-in-Chief: Principal District Judge Thian Yee Sze

General Editor: District Judge Sandra Looi 

Publisher: Academy Publishing

The 40th anniversary commemorative edition of “Small Claims Tribunals in Singapore: Accessible · Affordable · Empowering” is a collaboration between the State Courts and Singapore Academy of Law and the first title to be published under the latter’s new Singapore Court Series. A first-of-its-kind resource publication on the Small Claims Tribunals, with forewords by The Honourable the Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon and Senior Legal Advisor to Minister for Foreign Affairs, Professor S Jayakumar, and a preface by Presiding Judge of the State Courts, Justice Vincent Hoong, the book traces the genesis and evolution of the Small Claims Tribunals, as well as the significant role these tribunals have played in advancing access to justice in Singapore, covering key changes in legislation since inception, procedures in the life cycle of a claim and notable cases. We also journey through the development of the Small Claims Tribunals through the lenses of their officers past and present with their shared reflections.

The publication will cover the following areas:

• Genesis of the Small Claims Tribunals – New Era for Consumer Protection in Singapore
• Evolution of the Small Claims Tribunals As a Model of Inclusive and Effective Justice for the Community
• Significance of the Small Claims Tribunals in Advancing Access to Justice in Singapore
• Key Changes in Legislation Since 1985
• Procedures in the Life Cycle of a Claim in the Small Claims Tribunals
• Notable Cases in the Small Claims Tribunals
• Reflections of Past and Present Officers of the Small Claims Tribunals
• The Road Ahead

The publication is available for sale from the Singapore Academy of Law at $87.20 (inclusive of GST).

Annex C – Factsheet for MoU between the SCTs and CASE

• The SCTs and CASE will work together to streamline the management of consumer disputes which may be filed in the SCTs. CASE officers may also provide administrative, emotional and practical support to eligible consumers or represent consumers who are unable to present their own case during SCTs’ proceedings.

Public outreach and education

• The SCTs and CASE will collaborate on public outreach to enhance public awareness on matters relating to consumer disputes and to improve the public’s understanding of the law and court processes applicable to consumer dispute resolution within the SCTs.

Enhancing cooperation and collaboration

• The SCTs and CASE will work together to streamline the management of bulk cases where there are individual claims filed by multiple consumers against a common business entity, so as to ensure the fair and efficient management of such cases.