In which does the supreme court have original jurisdiction?

Original jurisdiction means the power to hear and determine a dispute in the first instance. The Supreme Court has been given exclusive original jurisdiction which extends to disputes (a) between the Government of India and one or more States, (b) between the Government of India and one or more States on one side and one or more States on the other, (c) between two or more States. However, this jurisdiction shall not extend to a dispute arising out of the treaty, agreement, etc. which is in operation and excludes such jurisdiction. The jurisdiction is extremely wide, provided the dispute is a justiciable one.

The intention of the Constitution-makers is that such disputes should not be subjected to several tiers of the judicial hierarchy, but should come, for once and for all, before the highest court of the land.

��������� Section 1. [JUDICIAL POWER; TENURE IN OFFICE] The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour, and shall, at stated Times, receive for their Services, a Compensation, which shall not be diminished during their Continuance in Office.

��������� Section 2. [JURISDICTION] The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, in Law and Equity, arising under this Constitution, the Laws of the United States, and Treaties made, or which shall be made, under their Authority;--to all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls;--to all Cases of admiralty and maritime Jurisdiction;--to Controversies to which the United States shall be a Party;--to Controversies between two or more States;-- between a State and Citizens of another State;--between Citizens of different States;--between Citizens of the same State claiming Lands under Grants of different States, and between a State, or the Citizens thereof, and foreign States, Citizens or Subjects.

��������� In all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, and those in which a State shall be Party, the supreme Court shall have original Jurisdiction. In all the other Cases before mentioned, the supreme Court shall have appellate Jurisdiction, both as to Law and Fact, with such Exceptions, and under such Regulations as the Congress shall make.

��������� The Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of Impeachment, shall be by Jury; and such Trial shall be held in the State where the said Crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed within any State, the Trial shall be at such Place or Places as the Congress may by Law have directed.

(NOTE: See Amendment XI)

��������� Section 3. [TREASON] Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.

��������� The Congress shall have Power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.

The Supreme Court is part of the court system in Singapore that upholds the law and ensures justice is accessible to all. It has judicial power to hear both criminal and civil matters.

View the vision, mission and values of the Supreme Court.

Types of courts in the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court is made up of the following courts:

  • Court of Appeal.
  • High Court.
    • Appellate Division of the High Court.
    • General Division of the High Court.

Jurisdiction: what the courts can hear

The courts within the Supreme Court deal with the following types of cases:

Court of Appeal

  • All criminal appeals against decisions made by the General Division in the exercise of its original criminal jurisdiction.
  • Prescribed categories of civil appeals and appeals that are made to the Court of Appeal under written law. The prescribed categories of civil appeals are set out in the Sixth Schedule of the Supreme Court of Judicature Act.

Appellate Division of the High Court

  • Civil appeals that are not allocated to the Court of Appeal under the Sixth Schedule of the Supreme Court of Judicature Act.
  • Any civil appeals or other processes that any written law provides is to be heard by the Appellate Division.
  • It does not have criminal jurisdiction and does not hear criminal appeals.

General Division of the High Court

Both criminal and civil cases commenced in the General Division, which include:

  • All criminal offences committed in Singapore, including those that are punishable with death or an imprisonment term exceeding 10 years.
  • Civil cases where the value of the claim exceeds $250,000.

Matters which must be commenced in the General Division, which include:

  • Admiralty matters.
  • Company winding up and other insolvency-related proceedings.
  • Bankruptcy proceedings.
  • Applications for the admission of advocates and solicitors.

Appeals and other matters such as:

  • Criminal or civil appeals from the State Courts (District Courts and Magistrates’ Courts).
  • Appeals from tribunals.
  • Criminal revisions of State Courts decisions.
  • Cases under the specialised lists.

Singapore International Commercial Court (SICC)

International commercial disputes, such as:

Cases may be commenced in the SICC or transferred from the General Division to the SICC.

Specialised lists in the General Division of the High Court

Specialised lists have been set up in the General Division. These specialised lists apply to cases in the General Division of the High Court other than those in the SICC. Each specialised list comprises docketed Judges, and a team of Assistant Registrars who manages the cases in consultation with the docketed Judges as appropriate. SICC cases are international and commercial cases managed by the SICC’s specialist judges and supported by the Assistant Registrars in the SICC Divisional Registry.

The docketed Judges on the specialised lists in the General Division comprise the following:

Building and construction, shipbuilding, complex and technical cases

  • Justice Philip Jeyaretnam
  • Justice Lee Seiu Kin
  • Justice Vinodh Coomaraswamy
  • Justice Tan Siong Thye
  • Justice Vincent Hoong
  • Justice S. Mohan
  • Justice Andre Maniam
  • Justice Kwek Mean Luck
  • Judicial Commissioner Teh Hwee Hwee

Finance, securities, banking, complex commercial cases


  • Justice Andre Maniam
  • Justice Vinodh Coomaraswamy
  • Justice See Kee Oon
  • Justice Aedit Abdullah
  • Justice Dedar Singh Gill
  • Justice S. Mohan
  • Justice Philip Jeyaretnam
  • Justice Kwek Mean Luck
  • Judicial Commissioner Goh Yihan
  • Judicial Commissioner Teh Hwee Hwee

Company, insolvency and trusts

Shipping and insurance

  • Justice S. Mohan
  • Justice Chua Lee Ming
  • Justice Pang Khang Chau
  • Justice Vincent Hoong
  • Justice Kwek Mean Luck

Note: Refer to the Admiralty Court Guide for more information on the case management features and specialist procedures for admiralty cases in Singapore. This supplements the Rules of Court.

Tort claims

Defamation, professional negligence, statutory tort

  • Justice Choo Han Teck
  • Justice Tan Siong Thye
  • Justice Valerie Thean
  • Justice Vincent Hoong
  • Justice Dedar Singh Gill
  • Justice Mavis Chionh
  • Justice S. Mohan
  • Judicial Commissioner Goh Yihan
  • Judicial Commissioner Teh Hwee Hwee

Medical negligence

  • Justice Choo Han Teck
  • Justice Tan Siong Thye
  • Justice Mavis Chionh
  • Justice S. Mohan
  • Justice Philip Jeyaretnam
  • Justice Kwek Mean Luck
  • Judicial Commissioner Goh Yihan
  • Judicial Commissioner Teh Hwee Hwee

Intellectual property or information technology

  • Justice Dedar Singh Gill
  • Justice Lee Seiu Kin
  • Justice Valerie Thean
  • Justice Hoo Sheau Peng
  • Justice Aedit Abdullah
  • Justice Dedar Singh Gill
  • Justice Mavis Chionh
  • Justice Andre Maniam
  • Judicial Commissioner Goh Yihan

Note: Refer to the Intellectual Property Court guide for more information on the Intellectual Property (IP) Court's case management features and specialist practices. This applies to all cases under the IP Court. This supplements the Rules of Court and the Supreme Court Practice Directions.

What is the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court?

In addition, Article 32 of the Constitution gives an extensive original jurisdiction to the Supreme Court in regard to enforcement of Fundamental Rights.

In which cases does the Supreme Court have original jurisdiction quizlet?

a court has original jurisdiction if it is the first court to hear a case. The SC has original jurisdiction in cases involving foreign dignitaries, one or more states, or cases involving other public ministers.

Which Supreme Court case is an example of original jurisdiction?

Most law students first encounter the concept of original jurisdiction in their constitutional law class when studying Marbury v. Madison.

What does the Supreme Court have jurisdiction over quizlet?

The Supreme Court has original jurisdiction in cases which involves states and cases involving citizen and foreign people. It also has an original jurisdiction in cases where the United States is involved.