SINGAPORE: Mr Hoong Seng Lei Vincent has been appointed Judicial Commissioner of the Supreme Court, the Prime Minister's Office announced on Friday (Feb 1).
Mr Hoong is currently the Registrar of the Supreme Court and the most senior legal service officer.
AdvertisementHis swearing-in ceremony will take place on Apr 10 at the Istana, and he will serve for one year.
With his appointment, the Supreme Court will have a total of 20 judges (including four judges of appeal and the Chief Justice), seven judicial commissioners, four senior judges and 16 international judges.
The 61-year-old joined the legal service in 1984 and has more than 34 years of experience in both the judiciary and the legal service.
From April 1984 to August 1997, Mr Hoong held various appointments in the Supreme Court as an assistant registrar and the then-Subordinate Courts as a magistrate and district judge.
AdvertisementAdvertisementHe managed the Singapore Land Registry of the Ministry of Law from September 1997 to May 2001 before being seconded to the Singapore Land Authority as deputy chief executive and chief legal officer, and finally as chief executive from May 2009 to March 2015.
Mr Hoong also held concurrent appointments as the Registrar of Titles & Deeds and Controller of Residential Property from May 2000 to Mar 31, 2015, and as the Commissioner of Lands from August 2002 to April 2009.
Ms Teh Hwee Hwee, who is currently Deputy Registrar of the Supreme Court will succeed Mr Hoong as the Registrar of the Supreme Court.
"I thank Vincent for his invaluable contributions as Registrar of the Supreme Court," said Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon in a Supreme Court media release.
"He has not only done an excellent job in hearing cases, he has also successfully helped steer many of the court’s reforms and initiatives, such as the management of cases in the High Court and appeals in the Court of Appeal as well as improvements to the practice and procedures in corporate insolvency and restructuring cases."
Judicial commissioners are appointed to "facilitate the disposal of business" in the Supreme Court, according to the court's website.
They have the powers of a judge and are appointed for a specific period determined by the President.
Along with the Chief Justice, judges of appeal and judges, judicial commissioners are appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister.
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