Two Court of Appeal judges to retire; Family Justice Courts judge’s appointment extended

Two Court of Appeal judges will be retiring in September.

Justice Tay Yong Kwang’s last day of service will be Sept 2, and Justice Steven Chong Horng Siong’s will be Sept 22.

In addition, Justice Teh Hwee Hwee will continue as presiding judge of the Family Justice Courts (FJC) for another three years from Oct 1, said the Singapore Courts in a statement on Aug 20.

Chong, a former attorney-general, became a Court of Appeal judge on April 1, 2017.

He was appointed a judicial commissioner of the Supreme Court in October 2009 and a High Court judge in June 2010.

He then served as the seventh attorney-general from 2012 for two years. Chong returned to the High Court as a judge there on June 25, 2014.

During Chong’s tenure as attorney-general, he established the Attorney-General’s Chambers’ (AGC) Media Relations Unit and launched the Public Prosecution Outreach Programme.

He also initiated the embedment of prosecutors in the enforcement agencies, empowered the attorney-general to represent statutory boards in civil actions and led the AGC in concluding key international treaties.

The other Court of Appeal judge retiring, Tay, began his judicial career with the Supreme Court in 1981, first as an assistant registrar and then as deputy registrar.

His appointments include being a district judge at the Subordinate Courts – now known as the State Courts – for six years from 1991, before he became judicial commissioner and then High Court judge in January 2023.

He became a Court of Appeal judge on Aug 1, 2016.

He was also a member of the Presidential Elections Committee.

Expressing his appreciation for the contributions of Tay and Chong, Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon said: “I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Justice Tay and Justice Chong for their decades of outstanding service and their immense contributions to the administration of justice in Singapore.”

Chong brought to the Bench a breadth of experience that few can match, said Menon, noting that the former is known for his incisive, rigorous and analytical legal mind.

Menon, who is retiring in 2027, said that Tay is a judge of exceptional character, whose approach has always been calm, measured and conscientious.

Chong and Tay said they are honoured to have contributed to Singapore’s justice system.

Tay counted it his privilege to serve for more than four decades under four chief justices.

He added: “I am especially grateful to Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon for giving me the great honour of sitting in the Court of Appeal with him over the last 10 years.”

Chong added: “I am also thankful for the friendships and working relationships forged along the way and I could not have asked for better guidance and support from those I have worked with.”

In its statement, the Singapore Courts said that Teh’s appointment as presiding judge of the FJC has been extended by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam for three years, with effect from Oct 1.

Teh was appointed presiding judge of the FJC and a High Court judge on Oct 1, 2023.

She previously served as the Supreme Court’s judicial commissioner from August 2022.

Her current tenure at the FJC has been marked by the implementation of significant legislative reforms and changes across various fronts, spanning divorce by mutual agreement, protection against family violence, and the enforcement of maintenance and child access orders, said the statement.

Additionally, she drove the further development of the FJC’s approach to therapeutic justice into two substantive frameworks and steered both to implementation during her current tenure there.

Therapeutic justice is the approach by which judges, lawyers, court professionals and social support agencies work in concert to help families move beyond conflict, with the long-term welfare of children at its centre.

During Teh’s tenure, she also introduced a structured mentorship programme for junior judges and supported the professional growth of court administrators, said the statement.

Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction.

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