Singapore court decisions

Key decisions, summarised in plain EnglishShow all court decisions

• Money handed to a partner during a relationship was a loan to be repaid, not a gift Key decision

  [2026] SGHC 196 · High Court · 24 Sep 2026Teow Seok Phen v Chee Wei Jun · [2026] SGHC 196 · High Court · 24 Sep 2026 · Summary

  Money and debt

• A domestic worker’s employer can be as much to blame as those who abused her Key decision

  [2026] SGHC 191 · High Court · 21 Sep 2026Kevin Chelvam v Public Prosecutor and another appeal · [2026] SGHC 191 · High Court · 21 Sep 2026 · Summary

  Relies on Penal Code 1871

  Police and courts

• A party who asked for a retrial abroad cannot later say he had no notice of it Key decision

  [2026] SGHC(A) 24 · Appellate Division · 16 Sep 2026Goh Heng Tee v Xiamen Tonghin Furniture Industries Co Pte Ltd and another matter · [2026] SGHC(A) 24 · Appellate Division · 16 Sep 2026 · Summary

  Money and debt

• Banking secrecy limits what a bank must disclose, but not what a party must Key decision

  [2026] SGHC 184 · High Court · 10 Sep 2026Re Arief Purwada (in his capacity as the administrator of the estate of Indriaty Purwada, deceased) and others and other matters (UBS AG and others, non-parties) · [2026] SGHC 184 · High Court · 10 Sep 2026 · Summary

  Relies on Banking Act 1970

  Family

• What a man spent on his girlfriend was a gift, not a loan she had to repay Key decision

  [2026] SGHC 185 · High Court · 9 Sep 2026Chander Agarwal v Lee Xiu Hui Felicia · [2026] SGHC 185 · High Court · 9 Sep 2026 · Summary

  Relies on Misrepresentation Act 1967, s 2

  Family

• Arbitration for the amount only does not apply while an insurer still disputes cover Key decision

  [2026] SGHC 182 · High Court · 8 Sep 2026Far Ocean Sea Products Pte Ltd v United Overseas Insurance Ltd · [2026] SGHC 182 · High Court · 8 Sep 2026 · Summary

  Running a business

• Waiting to learn the likely sentence before pleading guilty earns a smaller discount Key decision

  [2026] SGHC 181 · High Court · 7 Sep 2026Tan Zhi Wei v Public Prosecutor and another appeal · [2026] SGHC 181 · High Court · 7 Sep 2026 · Summary

  Relies on Road Traffic Act 1961

  Driving and traffic

• A Hong Kong judgment for a Macau casino debt could not be enforced in Singapore Key decision

  [2026] SGHC 180 · High Court · 4 Sep 2026Venetian Macau Ltd v Hu Yangning · [2026] SGHC 180 · High Court · 4 Sep 2026 · Summary

  Relies on Casino Control Act 2006

  Money and debt

• When a bankrupt disputes a creditor’s claim, the court decides it afresh Key decision

  [2026] SGHC 176 · High Court · 31 Aug 2026Goh Seng Heng v Official Assignee · [2026] SGHC 176 · High Court · 31 Aug 2026 · Summary

  Money and debt

• A probation period alone does not let an employer end a job without notice Key decision

  [2026] SGHC 171 · High Court · 24 Aug 2026Nanyang Law LLC v Ghui Meng Yang · [2026] SGHC 171 · High Court · 24 Aug 2026 · Summary

  Relies on Employment Act 1968

  Work