Use of Technology at the SICC

Use of Technology at the SICC

Supreme Court Transcription Services

The Court Audio Services System (CAS) is the system used to facilitate the digital audio recording of court hearings and the preparation of transcripts in the Supreme Court. CAS is available for use in SICC open Court and Chamber proceedings. For hearings where CAS is used, the audio recording is, pursuant to Order 20 rule 9(2) of the Singapore International Commercial Court Rules 2021, the official record of hearing.

Subject to the Court’s approval and upon payment of the requisite fee, parties may obtain a copy of the audio recording or transcript of court proceedings.

Epiq Singapore Pte. Ltd is the service provider for the CAS audio recording and transcription services at the Supreme Court. The applicable fees for audio recordings and certified transcripts may be viewed in the schedule here.

Click here for more information on applying for CAS audio recording and transcription services.

Please note that all transcripts and audio recordings are not to be reproduced, copied or transmitted in any form by any means whatsoever, without prior approval of the court.

Availability of Audio Recordings of SICC Proceedings

Parties may apply for the audio recordings of SICC proceedings.

The release of recordings will be subject to:

(a) approval by the Judge;

(b) the giving of the prescribed undertakings as to the use of the audio recordings; and

(c) payment of the appropriate fees and charges by the requesting party to the service provider.

Refer to the following to find out the collection timing for audio recordings

Audio recordings can only be requested for within six months from the hearing date.

Please note that before any audio recording can be released, a requesting party has to give the following undertakings (as also stated in the request form):

“(a) I will pay the relevant charges to the service provider;

(b) I will only use the audio recording for the preparation for hearings or appeals in the Singapore courts;

(c) I will not upload, distribute or cause to be uploaded or distributed, whether on the Internet, on any social media, on any messaging service, or otherwise, the audio recordings without prior written permission from the Judge, nor will I make the audio recordings available to any other individual or entity (other than in accordance with paragraphs (d) and (e) below);

(d) I understand that I may make the audio recording available to a member of staff whose actions I am responsible for, or a service provider that is in the business of making transcripts from audio recordings, for the sole purpose of generating transcripts of the audio recording for the preparation for hearings or appeals in the Singapore courts;

(e) I will ensure that any person that obtains the audio recording from me will be made aware of the approved uses of the audio recordings, and I remain liable for unapproved distribution or use of the audio recordings by any such person;

(f) I understand that if a certified transcript of the official record of hearing is required for any legal proceedings (including appeals), such a certified transcript must be obtained from the Court. Normal fees/charges would apply in respect of such a certified transcript;

(g) I understand that the Court will not entertain any request to decide on (i) the accuracy of an unofficial transcript, or (ii) if more than one unofficial transcript is produced or obtained, which unofficial transcript to adopt. If there are issues or disputes relating to unofficial transcripts, the parties are to obtain a certified transcript of the official record of hearing from the Court. Normal fees/charges would apply in respect of such a certified transcript;

(h) my attention has been drawn to s.4 of the Administration of Justice (Protection) Act 2016. I will ensure that every other individual or entity that obtains the audio recording from me is also made aware of this provision.”

For the avoidance of doubt, the Court will not certify any unofficial transcript as a certified transcript of the official record of hearing. If a certified transcript of the official record of hearing is required for legal proceedings (including appeals), such a transcript must be obtained from the Court. Normal fees/charges would apply in respect of such a certified transcript.

The Court will not entertain any request to decide on (i) the accuracy of an unofficial transcript, or (ii) if more than one unofficial transcript is produced or obtained, which unofficial transcript to adopt. If there are issues or disputes relating to unofficial transcripts, the parties are to obtain a certified transcript of the official record of hearing from the Court. Normal fees/charges would apply in respect of such a certified transcript.

For trials that are conducted in camera, special reasons and permission of the Judge is required, before audio recordings are released.

For the avoidance of doubt, audio recordings are only available for trial proceedings and not for appeals or any other non-trial proceedings.

Availability of Certified Transcripts

If you wish to request a transcript of an official record of hearing, please submit your request through the Electronic Filing Service using the electronic form “Request for Transcript of Hearing: Civil Proceedings”.

Alternatively, you can download the relevant application form and submit a copy of the completed form to the SICC Registry in one of the following ways:

(a) by way of email forwarded to SUPCT_SICC_REGISTRY@judiciary.gov.sg

(b) by post to the attention of the SICC Registry; or

(c) by delivery at the counter of the SICC Registry.

Click here (PDF, 70 KB) to download the application form for transcripts of an official record of hearing.

All parties must make payment to the service provider directly for the transcription services.

Requests for certified transcripts

For requests made before the hearing starts, the following must be provided by the requesting party to the service provider (wherever applicable):

i. authorities or bundles of authorities;

ii. documentary exhibits or bundles of documents;

iii. written submissions;

iv. lists of the names of witnesses; and

v. any documents tendered at the hearing.

These documents must be supplied to the service provider at least 2 working days before the hearing starts.

For requests made only after the hearing has started, or after the hearing has concluded, the documents must be supplied together with the request Form. For such requests, the delivery timeline will be 7 working days.

Fees for Requests for Audio Recordings and Certified Transcripts

For transcript request for 24-hour turnaround, the transcripts will be ready for collection after 5 pm the working day after the date of the request.

For queries on the Supreme Court's audio recording and transcription services, please contact Court Reporting Section, Supreme Court at 6332 1055.

Private Real Time Court Reporting Services

The following vendors (listed in alphabetical order & in no order of priority) have been approved to provide Private Real Time Court Reporting Services (including real time transcription) in the Supreme Court.

Epiq Singapore Pte Ltd
16 Raffles Quay, #35-01
Hong Leong Building
Singapore 048581
Tel No: (+65) 6800 0268
Email: singapore@epiqglobal.com
Website: www.epiqglobal.com/asia

Opus 2 International Singapore Pte Ltd
28 Maxwell Road
Maxwell Chambers Suites #04‑12/13
Singapore 069120
Tel No: (+65) 3158 5095
Email: bd@opus2.sg
Website: www.opus2.com

Technology facilities

Technology facilities may, at the discretion of the Registrar, be used at any trial or hearing conducted by the SICC. These technology facilities include:

• Teleconference and video conference facilities
• Mobile Infocomm Technology Facilities:
  • Interactive Display Board with HD display:
    • 65" HD touch-screen display
    • Internet access via browser
    • Recording of voices and actions (e.g., annotations on image or on google maps)
    • Multi-format disc player (which allows the playback of DVD-audio, DVD-video, DVDRAM, DVD-R, CD, CD-R/RW and SVCD media)
  • Audio Visual Projection Facility
  • Other Audio Visual Equipment
    • Multi-format disc player (which allows the playback of DVD-Audio, DVD-Video, DVD-RAM, DVD-R)
    • Visualiser

The Registrar may refuse any request for the use of any of the Technology Facilities at any time owing to the unavailability of staff or equipment or for any other reason. The Registrar need not give any reasons for the refusal of such a request.

Click here (DOCX, 20 KB) to download the application form to request the use of technology facilities during trials or hearings.

Click here for more information on how to apply for the use of technology facilities.

Please also refer to Note 6 of the SICC User Guides for more information on remote hearings.