Journey Towards Judicial Excellence: The Singapore Subordinate Courts’
Experiencep
Presentation by District Judge Hoo Sheau PengAsia Pacific Judicial Reform Forum Round Table Meeting 2009
21 January 2009
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y
Journey TowardsJourney Towards Judicial Excellence
In the early 1990s, the huge backlog hindered the courts’ efficiency andhindered the courts efficiency and effectiveness, and impinged on public trust and confidence
Embarked on journey of judicial reforms in the early 1990sthe early 1990s
Judiciary led reforms
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Beyond Backlogs –Beyond Backlogs Modernisation Strategies
Determined approach to modernise the justice system
Maximise resources by enhancing efficiency and productivity, while preserving public p y, p g ptrust and confidence in the administration of justice
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Judicial Structure
Court of Appeal
Judicial Structure
Court of AppealHigh CourtSubordinate Courts(handle 95% of all courtcases in Singapore)
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Jurisdiction and Total Caseload
Year 2008P
Total Caseload 345,627
- Criminal Justice Division 251,730
- Civil Justice Division 58,778
- Family Justice Division 18,770
- Juvenile Justice Division 1,849
- Small Claims Tribunals 14,500 P - preliminary
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Strategy 1:Strategy 1: Visionary Leadership
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Our Visionary Leaders ...Our Visionary Leaders ...
i k i i i li lMain key to continuous improvement in quality, culture building, motivation and communication
D i i ll itDrivers in all community programmes
Participate to develop and achieve the fullest potential from all employeesall employees
Lay the foundation for the rest of the organisation to build onon
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Leadership
i i i i l d l
Leadership
Vision, mission, goals and valuesBeyond constitutional duty to
bli d tpublic dutyLeadership team, to promote leadership at e er le elleadership at every level
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Strategy 2:Strategy 2: Strategic Planning
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Strategic Planning
1. WP 1992/3: Progressing Towards Excellence2 WP 1993/4: Achieving Excellence
Workplan ThemesWorkplan Themes
2. WP 1993/4: Achieving Excellence3. WP 1994/5: Excellence & Beyond4. WP 1995/6: Excellence & Beyond: The Next Phase5. WP 1996/7: Excellence & Beyond: Phase IIy6. WP 1997/8: A World Class Court7. WP 1998/9: Leading Justice into the New Millennium8. WP 1999/0: Administering Justice in the Knowledge Society9. WP 2000/1: i.nvesting in Justice in the New Economy10. WP 2001/2: Beyond World Class: Subordinate Courts Built to Last11. WP 2002/3: Justice to All Manner of People without Fear or Favour12 WP 2003/4: Anchoring Justice12. WP 2003/4: Anchoring Justice13. WP 2004/5: The Subordinate Courts & Communities of Justice14. WP 2005/6: Quality of Justice15 WP 2006/7: The New Phases of Justice
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15. WP 2006/7: The New Phases of Justice16. WP 2007/8 : Justice@Subordinate Courts – The Next Phase17. WP 2008/09 : Justice@Subordinate Courts – Enhancing the Public
Value of Justice
Annual Workplanp
EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL INPUT
Legitimacy and Support
Institutional Public Value
Strategies
Institutional Capacity
Public Value
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Thinking about the Future –Thinking about the Future Scenario Planning
““An important component of strategic planning is scenario planning …(which)
b i b t f d t l hift ibrings about a fundamental shift in thinking. We become creative rather than
reactive...we have sought to do this by establishing a planning unit …” now known
as the Strategic Planning and Training Division
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Strategy 3: Refining gy 3 gModels of Justice and
Expanding Alternatives p g
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Four Justice ModelsFour Justice Models
Realignment to changing needs and country’s business priorities
C i i l i i h bliCriminal Justice: Protecting the PublicJuvenile Justice: Restorative JusticeCivil Justice: Effective & Fair DisputeCivil Justice: Effective & Fair Dispute ResolutionFamily Justice: Protecting Family Obligations
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Innovating ProcessesKey and Supporting ProcessesKey and Supporting Processes
Innovating Processes
COURT USERSCOURT USERS
Civil JusticeCivil JusticeDivision Division
Criminal Criminal JusticeJusticeDivision Division
Family Family JusticeJusticeDivisionDivision
Juvenile Juvenile JusticeJusticeDivisionDivision
Key Process Key Process –– Case AdministrationCase Administration
Registration/Filing Enforcement/ExecutionTrial/AdjudicationMention/PTC/Mediation
Corporate Support ProcessesCorporate Support Processes
Fin H
CR IT
Interpre(C
hineseIndian LaR
Develo
Office
Corpor a
Com
mu S
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nance
HR
M
ReST
TD ters e, M
alay & anguages)
RR
C
opment &
Services
ate nication
SIM
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Actively EncourageDispute Resolution without Court Actions
p
Dispute Resolution without Court ActionsAdjudication only as a last resort in court actions
Court Dispute Resolution (CDR)
Voluntary, Consensual, Early Neutral Evaluation , Court appointed Independent ExpertMediation of Civil Disputes at e@DR CentreMediation of Civil Disputes at e@DR CentreCriminal Mediation for Relational DisputesFamily Mediation and CounsellingM di i f SCT l iMediation for SCT claims
Court Dispute Resolution International (CDRi)Co-Mediation - Singapore Judge and Foreign Judge
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g p g g g
Australia, New Zealand, Norway, UK, USA
Other Major Developments
Differentiated Case Management
Other Major Developments
Differentiated Case ManagementNight CourtsSpecialist Courts
o Traffic Courto Coroners’ Court
C t li d P T i l C f C to Centralised Pre-Trial Conference Courto Sentencing Courtso Commercial Trial Courtso Bail Courto Community Court
N i hb h d C
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o Neighbourhood Court
Strategy 4:Strategy 4: Increasing Access
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Increasing AccessgReduction of barriers to access
ATOMS - Offenders of minor traffic and parkingoffences are offered the flexibility of settling theircases by pleading guilty to the offence charged aty p g g y gNETS Kiosks and over Internet
Making Legal Services accessible
Registry Officers for Service Excellence (ROSE)
Courts Charter and Service PledgeCourts Charter and Service Pledge
Annual Reports and Website of decisions
N I f ti d S i C t
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New Information and Services Counter
Hearings and operations over lunch hour
iStrategy 5: Improving Human Resource Management
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Diversity in Core Competency
Redefining the role of the Judge
Diversity in Core Competency
Redefining the role of the JudgeJudge-ManagerJudge-ReformerJudge ReformerJudge-MediatorJudge-Educator
Court Administrators – diversity and diff di i lidifferent disciplines
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Talent Management
Scholarship for Judges and Court Administrators
Talent Management
Scholarship for Judges and Court Administrators
Sponsorship for Para-Legal Studies
Cross Fertilisation of talents e.g. SPH internship
Specialist Judges, Ad-Hoc Deputy Registrars
Concurrent Appointments
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Staff Bonding & Camaraderie
Code of Ethics handbook for Court AdministratorsTeambuilding programmes
g
Teambuilding programmesLearning organisation sessions Cross-sectional activities
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S 6 L iStrategy 6: Leveraging on Technology gy
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Leveraging on Technology
ATOMS-
Leveraging on Technology
Automated Traffic Offence Management System
Virtual Court Services- Bail Video link- Video Link to Remand Prison- Remote Testimony of Witnesses- Remote Chamber HearingsRemote Chamber Hearings- Link ups with Family Service Centres
eCourtseCourts- Paperless courts from filing to disposition
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Judicial Administration Systems
Integrated Judicial Administration Systems –enhanced efficiency and performance
Judicial Administration Systems
enhanced efficiency and performance monitoring of cases e.g.
• SCRIMS [Singapore Case Recording and• SCRIMS [Singapore Case Recording and Information System]
• TICKS [Tickets & Summons Systems][ y ]
• EFS [Electronic Filing System]
• FAMs [Family Case Management System]• FAMs [Family Case Management System]
• SCT Systems
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iCourt Lab iCourt Lab -- INNOVATIONS ININNOVATIONS INCOURT TECHNOLOGYCOURT TECHNOLOGY
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Newspaper TODAY, 19 July 06
Strategy 7: Building Bridges
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Building Bridges
Engaging local communityEngaging local community
Network with international judiciaries
Network with relevant international bodies
STRENGTHENINGSTRENGTHENING
COMMUNITYCOMMUNITY
LINKSLINKS
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Strategy 8:EmphasizingStrategy 8:Emphasizing Performance and Results
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E h i iEmphasizing Performance and Results
Use of Balanced Scorecard – Adapted to JusticeScorecard
Use of Net Economic Value
Electronic Case Management and MonitoringSystems for 350,000 cases per year
Timelines for disposal of cases and rendering ofjudgmentsjudgments
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Justice Scorecard
More strategy focused performance
Justice Scorecard
measurement and management systemClearer linkages between vision, mission and actionsPro-active managementSimple and concise measuring critical indicatorsEarly warning alerts to areas which are likely to
Community
Early warning alerts to areas which are likely to breach targets
Internal Processes
Learning & Growth Finance
Perspectives
Processes Growth
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Local and International Perceptions
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Public Perception Survey 2007Public Perception Survey 2007
97% of respondents agreed that there is full confidence in the fair97% of respondents agreed that there is full confidence in the fair administration of justice in Singapore
95% agreed that the Court facilities and information about the Courts are il ibleasily accessible
93% agreed that the Court dealt with cases in a timely and expeditious mannermanner
99% opined that the Courts administer justice fairly to all regardless of language, religion, race or social class
99% agreed that the Courts carry out justice according to the law without influence of others
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Results
Hong Kong-Based Political & Economic
Results
Hong Kong-Based Political & Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC)
Singapore maintained top banding in Asia (12 countries) for the overall integrity and quality of the legal system, a ranking it has held since 1998.
Swiss-Based International Institute for
PERC
Swiss Based International Institute for Management Development (IMD)
In 2007, Singapore’s Legal framework was ranked i th t 3 b d t 5% 60 t i
IMD
in the top 3 band or top 5% among 60 countries.
Singapore has maintained the top 5% position since 2002
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ResultsWorld Bank
Results
“The World Bank has cited the Singapore Subordinate Courts as World Class and as a model of modernization for Latin Wo d C ass a d as a ode o ode at o o atAmerican countries.”
“The Subordinate Courts of the Republic of Singapore provide aThe Subordinate Courts of the Republic of Singapore provide auseful modernisation experience for developing anddeveloped countries pursuing judicial improvementprograms This view has been affirmed in our continuingprograms. This view has been affirmed in our continuingdialogue with Singapore Judges and Administrators. The WorldBank continues to tap the resources and expertise of theSingapore Courts through facilitating knowledge interchange
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Singapore Courts through facilitating knowledge interchangeamong judiciaries in its member countries.”
World Bank Book
“Judiciary-Led Reforms in Singapore” published in2007
“Over the past 15 years Singapore’s judicial system hasOver the past 15 years, Singapore’s judicial system hasbeen transformed from one that many viewed ascharacterised by inefficiencies, delays and inadequateadministrative capacity to one widely seen as among themost efficient and effective in the world.”
A l h j di i l fAnalyses the judicial reforms
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AwardsAwards
The National Association of Court Management (NACM) Justice Achievement Award 1999Peoples’ Developer Standard (1999) and recertified since 2002ISO 9000 (2000)Singapore Quality Class (2001)Justice Served Award 2001 Singapore HEALTH Gold Award in 2008Distinguished Defence Partner Award 2007Distinguished Defence Partner Award 2007Singapore Quality Award (SQA) 2006
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Conclusion
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ConclusionCo c s o
Effective and efficient judicial framework is critical jto ensure the economic, social and political success of the nation P bli d fid i l i hPublic trust and confidence is a core value in the administration of justiceContinuing journey of reforms towards excellenceContinuing journey of reforms towards excellence in court management and administration
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Thank You
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