Singapore judiciary to celebrate 200 years of rule of law with year-long public exhibition

SINGAPORE: The Singapore Judiciary will be celebrating 200 years of the rule of law this year with a year-long public exhibition, a gala dinner and other initiatives.

The bicentennial celebrations were announced at the opening of the legal year on Monday (Jan 12).

This year marks two centuries since the Second Charter of Justice 1826, which established the modern legal and judicial system in Singapore.

The charter united the disparate communities in Singapore under one law and one court, "and one unwavering commitment to justice and right", Attorney-General Lucien Wong said in a speech at the Supreme Court on Monday.

As part of the celebrations, Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon launched the bicentennial logo and a commemorative medallion, which features Singapore's first courthouse and its current Supreme Court.

The medallion was presented to attendees of the opening of the bicentennial legal year and will be given to selected recipients throughout 2026.

To mark the occasion, the Singapore Academy of Law on Monday launched a year-long exhibition on the second floor of the Supreme Court, titled The Charter & The Courts: 200 Years of the Rule of Law in Singapore.

The exhibition, which is free and open to the public, traces the judiciary's role in Singapore's stability and success, and aims to engage the community, particularly students, in understanding how the legal system has evolved.

The celebrations will culminate in November with the Bicentennial Celebration Week, featuring three events: 

• The Global Rule of Law Conference with global judicial leaders
• The Bicentennial Gala Dinner, where a commemorative publication, The Singapore Judiciary – A Bicentennial History, will be launched
• A formal sitting of the court where foreign chief justices and judicial representatives will be invited to attend

Chief Justice Menon said in his speech on Monday: "As we stand at the cusp of a new century in the history of our courts and legal system, we can look to the future with anticipation, excitement and optimism.

"Two hundred years ago, the Second Charter of Justice laid the foundations of our legal and judicial system. From those modest beginnings in 1826, we built institutions and platforms that today serve not only Singapore, but contribute meaningfully to the global architecture of justice."

The Chief Justice referred to a New York Times article that identified Singapore's judiciary as one of just five in the world that enjoyed public confidence levels of 85 per cent or more, along with the judiciaries of Norway, Denmark, Switzerland and Kuwait.

"That affirms the sense that we have exceptionally good reason for celebrating the bicentennial," he said.

"Our journey from a colonial outpost to a leading international dispute resolution hub, with a judiciary that is cherished as a national institution, is a testament to our unwavering belief in the law's foundational importance to our nation-building enterprise, and our bold vision that our laws and legal institutions can become a cornerstone of regional and international commerce."

ESTABLISHMENT OF JUDICIAL PRECINCT

In his speech to a room full of judges and black-suited lawyers, the Chief Justice also announced the formation of a judicial precinct.

This will be created in the Chinatown area when the Syariah Court joins the existing State Court Towers and the Family Justice Courts in Havelock Square.

The Syariah Court, now in the Redhill area of Lengkok Bahru, will move to the old Ministry of Labour building, which was gazetted as a national monument in 1998.

The building was formerly occupied by the Family Justice Courts, until the latter moved into the octagonal building that housed the former State Courts until 2019.

Professor Tan Cheng Han, president of the Law Society of Singapore, who took on the role after Mr Dinesh Singh Dhillon stepped down following controversy among lawyers over his appointment, also gave a speech.

After paying tribute to his predecessor Lisa Sam, Prof Tan touched on topics such as technology and its impact on lawyers, and burnout leading to attrition among younger lawyers.

"In our system underpinned by the strong rule of law, lawyers play a key role, and it is widely acknowledged that this has enabled Singapore to develop strongly, both economically and socially," he said.

"For, without the rule of law, we have the rule of the lawless jungle. Without the rule of law to which lawyers are her humble servants, fractures and contestation in societies cannot be healed and will fester. 

"A responsible and ethical legal profession is crucial to a harmonious, balanced society," he added.