Compiled from an official source version. Later amendments or repeals may not be reflected; the official text prevails. · Read the official text ↗
Protection from Harassment Court
16E.—(1) The Presiding Judge of the State Courts may —(a) designate one or more District Courts as Protection from Harassment Courts; and (b) designate so many District Judges, as may be necessary, as Protection from Harassment Court Judges.[17/2019] (2) A Protection from Harassment Court is to be presided over by a Protection from Harassment Court Judge designated under subsection (1)(b).[17/2019]
Jurisdiction, powers and duties of Registrar
16F. Subject to this Act and any other written law, the Registrar has such jurisdiction, powers and duties as may be prescribed by Rules of Court.[17/2019]
Jurisdiction of Protection from Harassment Court
16G. A Protection from Harassment Court has all the civil jurisdiction and criminal jurisdiction of a District Court.[17/2019]
Application of other written laws to Protection from Harassment Court
16H. Subject to this Act, and except as otherwise provided in any regulations made under section 20 —(a) the provisions of the State Courts Act 1970 apply to the Protection from Harassment Courts; (b) unless the context otherwise requires, any reference in any written law to a District Court or a State Court includes a reference to a Protection from Harassment Court; and (c) unless the context otherwise requires, any reference in any written law to a District Judge or a judicial officer includes a reference to a Protection from Harassment Court Judge.[17/2019]
Commencement of Part 3 proceedings
16I.—(1) Subject to subsection (2), any Part 3 proceedings that may be heard and determined by a Protection from Harassment Court must in the first instance be commenced in a Protection from Harassment Court.[17/2019] (2) Despite subsection (1) —(a) a claim under section 11 may be commenced in the first instance in a Magistrate’s Court or the General Division of the High Court; (b) Part 3 proceedings may be commenced in the first instance in a District Court (other than the Protection from Harassment Court); and (c) Part 3 proceedings (except any Part 3 proceedings involving any claim under section 11) may be commenced in the first instance in a Family Court, in which any related proceeding is pending, with the permission of that court. [17/2019; 40/2019] [Act 25 of 2021 wef 01/04/2022] (3) A court may grant permission under subsection (2) only if it is just, expeditious and economical for the disposal of the Part 3 proceedings, for the Part 3 proceedings to be commenced in that court.[17/2019] [Act 25 of 2021 wef 01/04/2022] (4) Civil proceedings (other than Part 3 proceedings) may be commenced in the first instance in a Protection from Harassment Court only if those civil proceedings are —(a) related to any Part 3 proceedings that have been or will be commenced in the Protection from Harassment Court; and (b) commenced in the Protection from Harassment Court on or after the commencement of the related Part 3 proceedings.[17/2019] (5) Civil proceedings may, under this section, be commenced in a court only if the civil proceedings are within the civil jurisdiction of that court.[17/2019] (6) In this section, proceedings are related to Part 3 proceedings if —(a) both of those proceedings involve any common issue of law or fact; or (b) the rights to relief claimed in both of those proceedings are in respect of the same conduct or course of conduct.[Act 31 of 2022 wef 01/11/2022]
Transfer of Part 3 proceedings
16J.—(1) A District Court (other than the Protection from Harassment Court) may, on the application of any party or on the District Court’s own initiative, order that any Part 3 proceedings or related civil proceedings (or both) pending in the District Court or a Magistrate’s Court be transferred to the Protection from Harassment Court, if there is sufficient reason to do so.[17/2019] (2) A Family Court may, on the application of any party or on the Family Court’s own initiative, order that any Part 3 proceedings pending in the Family Court be transferred to the Protection from Harassment Court, if there is sufficient reason to do so.[17/2019] (3) A Protection from Harassment Court may, on the application of any party or on the Court’s initiative, if it is just, expeditious and economical for the disposal of the Part 3 proceedings, transfer —(a) any claim under section 11 that is pending in the Protection from Harassment Court to a Magistrate’s Court in which any related civil proceeding is pending; (b) any Part 3 proceedings that are pending in the Protection from Harassment Court to a District Court in which any related civil proceeding is pending; or (c) any Part 3 proceedings (except any claim under section 11) that are pending in the Protection from Harassment Court to a Family Court in which any related family proceeding is pending.[17/2019] (4) A Protection from Harassment Court may, on the application of any party or on the Court’s initiative, transfer any civil proceedings (other than Part 3 proceedings) that are pending in the Protection from Harassment Court to a Magistrate’s Court or a District Court, if there is sufficient reason to do so.[17/2019] (5) Civil proceedings may, under this section, be commenced in or transferred to a court only if the civil proceedings are within the civil jurisdiction of that court.[17/2019] (6) In this section —(a) “family proceedings” has the meaning given by section 2(1) of the Family Justice Act 2014; and (b) proceedings are related to Part 3 proceedings if —(i) both of those proceedings involve any common issue of law or fact; or (ii) the rights to relief claimed in both of those proceedings are in respect of the same conduct or course of conduct.[17/2019] (7) Sections 54A and 54D of the State Courts Act 1970 do not apply to the transfer of any Part 3 proceedings.[17/2019] (8) This section does not affect any power of the General Division of the High Court to transfer proceedings to itself or to any other court under section 54B or 54C of the State Courts Act 1970 or any other law.[17/2019; 40/2019]
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Compiled from an official source version. Later amendments or repeals may not be reflected; the official text prevails. Read the official text ↗
Source: Singapore Statutes Online (Attorney-General's Chambers), © Government of Singapore.
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