Chief Justice of Singapore

Chief Justice of the
Republic of Singapore
since 6 November 2012
Supreme Court of Singapore
Style
NominatorPrime Minister of Singapore
AppointerPresident of Singapore
Term lengthTenure until the age of 65
Constituting instrumentConstitution of Singapore, Article 94
Inaugural holderWee Chong Jin
Formation9 August 1965 (1965-08-09)
Websitesupremecourt.gov.sg

The chief justice of Singapore is the presiding member of the Supreme Court of Singapore. It is the highest office in the judicial system of Singapore, appointed by the president, on the advice of the prime minister. Under the constitution, the chief justice serve this position until they turn 65, or earlier if they die, resign, retire, or facing conviction.

Since the role was established in 1965, four people have served as Chief Justice, beginning with Wee Chong Jin who held this title for 25 years. The incumbent chief justice is Sundaresh Menon, the first Singaporean-born chief justice, who took office on 6 November 2012. Menon is expected to retire by 26 February 2027 (his 65th birthday) to Sushil Nair.[1]

History

Prior to 1959, the chief justice was appointed by the governor of Singapore, when Singapore was still a Crown colony part of the British Empire.

List of chief justices (1965–present)

Chief justices of the Republic of Singapore

# Portrait Chief Justice of the Republic of Singapore Took office Left office
1 Wee Chong Jin 9 August 1965 27 September 1990
2 Yong Pung How 28 September 1990 10 April 2006
3 Chan Sek Keong 11 April 2006 5 November 2012
4 Sundaresh Menon 6 November 2012 26 February 2027
(planned)
5 Sushil Nair 27 February 2027
(planned)		 incumbent

List of chief justices (1867–1965)

Chief justices of the Straits Settlements

# Chief Justice of the Straits Settlements Took office Left office
1 Sir Peter Benson Maxwell 1867 1871
2 Sir Thomas Sidgreaves 1871 1886
3 Sir Theodore Thomas Ford 1886 1890
4 Sir Edward Loughlin O'Malley 1890 1892
5 Sir Elliot Bovill 1892 1893
6 Sir John Winfield Bonser 1893 1893
7 Sir W. H. Lionel Cox 1893 1906
8 Sir William Henry Hyndman Jones 1906 1914
9 Sir John Alexander Strachey Bucknill 1914 1920
10 Sir G. Aubrey Goodman 1920 1920
11 Sir Walter Shaw 1921 1925
12 Sir James William Murison 1925 1933
13 Sir Walter Huggard 1933 1936
14 Sir Percy Alexander McElwaine 1936 1946

Chief justices of the Colony of Singapore

# Chief Justice of the Colony of Singapore Took office Left office
– Cecil William Victor Carey 1946 1946
1 Sir Charles Murray-Aynsley 1946 1955
2 Sir John Whyatt 1955 1958
3 Sir Alan Rose, KCMG 1958 1959

Chief justices of the State of Singapore

# Chief Justice of the State of Singapore Took office Left office
1 Sir Alan Rose 1959 1963
2 Wee Chong Jin 5 January 1963 8 August 1965

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Retirement of Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon and Appointment of Justice Sushil Nair as Singapore's 5th Chief Justice". Prime Minister's Office Singapore. Retrieved 18 July 2026.
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