SINGAPORE - Court officials, policymakers and academics from 18 countries have gathered in Singapore to discuss the trends and challenges of the current judicial landscape.
The International Conference on Court Excellence, organised by the State Courts of Singapore, is being held at The Fullerton Hotel on Thursday (Jan 28) and Friday (Jan 29).
Themed "Judiciary of the Future", the two-day conference brings together a total of 190 judges, court administrators, policymakers and experts from related fields. Participants hail from countries in the region, such as Japan and Thailand, and as far as the United States and Zimbabwe.
Conference topics include leadership for the future, good governance and judicial ethics, innovations in court procedures and processes, and courts of the future.
"We live in an increasingly globalised, connected and borderless world. The proliferation of the Internet and mobile technologies... have radically changed the way governments, businesses and private individuals interact," said Presiding Judge of the State Courts See Kee Oon in his opening address on Thursday (Jan 28).
"Citizens demand more than incorruptibility, efficiency and effectiveness. They believe that good governance involves being informed, heard and consulted."
And while these factors may pose long-term challenges for the courts, they also present "tremendous opportunities", said Judicial Commissioner See, as he urged the judiciaries to embrace change, and find better ways to operate in a complex and changing environment.
In 2010, the International Framework for Court Excellence (IFCE) was launched to help courts improve the quality of justice and court administration.
It was developed by the International Consortium for Court Excellence, of which the State Courts of Singapore is a founding member.
During the conference, courts that have adopted the IFCE will also discuss the framework's potential in addressing future opportunities and challenges.
The keynote address was delivered by Honourable Chief Justice Marilyn Warren AC of the Supreme Court of Victoria, Australia on Thursday (Jan 28).
Other speakers include Honourable Chief Justice Robert J. Torres of the Supreme Court of Guam and from Singapore, Honourable Judge of Appeal Chao Hick Tin and Justice Lee Seiu Kin.
