The High Court as de facto Court Of Appeal: A revisitation of leave requirements in the criminal and family court jurisdictions

• Main Author: LAU, Kwan Ho
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2019
• Subjects: Courts; Public Law and Legal Theory
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/sol_research/2930
• Institution: Singapore Management University

The High Court almostalways sits in its judicial capacity with a single Judge. The exceptions arelimited. This article is concerned with the expanded constitution of the HighCourt in the exercise of its criminal and family court jurisdictions, and with the opinion expressed in some recent cases that the enlarged three-judge panelof the High Court might in these contexts be viewed as a de facto Court of Appeal. Upon a contemplation of the consequencessaid to result from such occasional expansions of the court, it is suggested inthis article that the practice, while defensibly founded on practicalnecessity, should also lead to consideration of another method that could achievethe same outcome.