SINGAPORE — In light of circuit breaker measures being extended till June 1, Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon announced on Friday (April 24) that all court cases — save essential and urgent ones — will continue to be adjourned till then.

These include matters in the Supreme Court, State Courts and Family Justice Courts, which began hearing only essential and urgent cases earlier this month.

Unless circuit breaker measures are extended further, most court hearings will resume on June 8, the chief justice said in a message to lawyers and court users.

While the Supreme Court usually takes a month-long recess in June, it will not do so this year so as to conclude some matters that have accumulated. This applies to the State Courts and Family Justice Courts as well.

Non-essential hearings in the Supreme Court and the Family Justice Courts, as well as non-criminal matters in the State Courts, have been adjourned since April 7. This began on April 13 for criminal matters in the State Courts.

In determining if matters are essential and urgent, the courts will consider if they are time-sensitive or whether there is a legal requirement for them to be heard within a certain period.

This includes cases related to Covid-19 offences and where accused persons have been in remand longer than their possible imprisonment terms.

Each of the three courts has published a microsite for Covid-19 announcements and updates, including frequently asked questions on court operations during this period.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced earlier this week that the circuit breaker measures, originally in place till May 4, would be extended for a further four weeks.

“As the Prime Minister explained, the extension may bring about short-term pain and inconvenience, but it is necessary that we act decisively in order to break the chain of transmission. The judiciary’s response to Covid-19 will be consistent with this national policy,” Chief Justice Menon said.

He added that to maintain safe distancing, the majority of hearings have been conducted using remote communication technology, such as the video-conferencing application Zoom.

Some hearings will likely continue to be heard through video or teleconferencing after June 1, with further details to come, said the chief justice. This is in line with certain safeguards to prevent the transmission of Covid-19.

Chief Justice Menon revealed that the Supreme Court has scheduled 19 Zoom hearings until the end of April, with the Court of Appeal having delivered a judgment on a capital drug trafficking case on Thursday through Zoom.

The apex court will deliver a second judgment via Zoom next week without the need for judges, lawyers or litigants to physically attend court, the chief justice said.

This week, the State Courts conducted remote hearings for 28 cases in which accused persons pleaded guilty, 17 pre-trial conferences and 99 other mentions.

In the past week alone, the Family Court has scheduled 23 trials of urgent matters concerning maintenance to be heard through Zoom. The Youth Court has similarly scheduled 33 matters in the same way.

Chief Justice Menon noted that these have been challenging times not just for the legal sector, but for virtually all sectors and industries globally.

“Covid-19 has reminded us that our health is our most valuable resource. I therefore encourage us all to view our health, and that of our colleagues and neighbours, as our foremost priority both now and in the future,” he said.

He noted that courtrooms and chambers that are in use are cleaned twice a day, and the courts have “maintained their enhanced cleaning regime” for common areas in court buildings, such as lobbies, registration counters, bathrooms and lifts.

The courts will continue with the enhanced regime even after the lifting of the circuit breaker measures, the chief justice said.