The Barrister:

       Greetings to you. Let me first introduce myself. I am the Barrister, one of the first to ever practise law in Singapore and definitely the most excellent of my time. In these modern times, I have not abandoned Singapore as my home, but instead have made the decision many decades ago to remain on this busy island and spend the eternity as a passive spectator of the administration of justice in the Supreme Court. Unfortunately, my neighbour on the premises is the ego-maniacal Guardian. I endeavour to maintain a respectable distance from him as far as possible.
 

"At the beginning..."

Where and when it all began and who were the fellows
involved. With characters of great stature like Sir
Thomas Stamford Raffles who founded modern Singapore
and the Temenggong, ruler of Singapura, the
British colony of Singapore was established.
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The Charters of Justice were written statements
passed down by the government describing the functions of
the court system. These established the Court of
Judicature in the Straits Settlements and were
essential in defining the scope of the Court's duties.
 

"The Supreme Court of the Straits Settlements was formed"

Changes took place in the Judicial System which
adjusted the titles of the judges, with the Recorder
of Singapore becoming the first Chief Justice of the
Straits Settlements. The Court of Judicature in
Singapore, Malacca and Penang were abolished and in its
place was the Supreme Court of the Straits Settlements,
having one division in Penang while the other one
at Singapore and Malacca.
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On 15th February 1942, Singapore fell to the
Japanese. It was renamed Syonan-To (pronounced
Shonan-Toh), meaning "The Light of the South". Due to this,
the Supreme Court was renamed the Syonan Supreme
Court and was re-opened 29 May 1942.
 

"Merdeka (Freedom)"

When the Japanese finally surrendered to the British
on 12 September 1945, the British regained control of
Singapore. The Supreme Court then ran under the British
Military Administration, and regained all its powers.
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Singapore gained independence on 9 August 1965, but it
was on 9 January 1970 when the Supreme Court of Singapore
was re-established. This Supreme Court consisted of the
High Court, the Court of Appeal and the Court of
Criminal Appeal. Changes were introduced, for example
the abolition of the jury trial system.
 

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