Zooming into a new age of court proceedings: Perspectives from the court, counsel and witnesses

• Main Author: YOONG, Aaron
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2020
• Subjects: Asian Studies; Courts; Public Health; Science and Technology Law
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/sol_research/4355
• Institution: Singapore Management University

It has been said that in the pantheon of professions, only the clergy are more cautious about technological change that lawyers. Yet, even for a profession "steeped in tradition and contained by precedent", as Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon opined in 2017: "[T]he day of reckoning can no longer be put off, because dramatic [technological] developments will force us to rethink entire areas of practice". The COVID-19 pandemic has brought that day right to our doorsteps. With countried implementing lockdowns and social distancing being the new norm, it is nigh on impossible for the profession, as a whole, to continue as before. This is reflected even in Singapore where, during the "circuit breaker" period from 7 April 2020 to 1 June 2020, most court hearings has to be adjourned, save of essential and urgent matters.