Littlemore Stuart QC v Chee Soon Juan: Ad Hoc Admission & Disparagement of Singapore Judiciary
Mr. Stuart Littlemore QC applied for ad hoc admission to the High Court of Singapore to represent Dr. Chee Soon Juan in defamation suits. The Attorney General and the Law Society of Singapore opposed the application, citing Mr. Littlemore's previous disparaging remarks about the Singapore judiciary. Justice Lai Kew Chai dismissed the application, finding Mr. Littlemore unfit for admission due to his contemptuous and disrespectful conduct.
1. Case Overview
1.1 Court
High Court1.2 Outcome
Application dismissed.
1.3 Case Type
Civil
1.4 Judgment Type
Grounds of Decision
1.5 Jurisdiction
Singapore
1.6 Description
Application for ad hoc admission by Stuart Littlemore QC to represent Dr Chee Soon Juan was dismissed due to Littlemore's disparaging remarks about the Singapore judiciary.
1.7 Decision Date
2. Parties and Outcomes
| Party Name | Role | Type | Outcome | Outcome Type | Counsels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stuart Littlemore QC | Applicant | Individual | Application Dismissed | Lost | |
| Chee Soon Juan | Other | Individual | |||
| Goh Chok Tong | Other | Individual | Davinder Singh, Hri Kumar, Siraj Omar | ||
| Lee Kuan Yew | Other | Individual | Davinder Singh, Hri Kumar, Siraj Omar | ||
| Attorney General | Respondent | Government Agency | Application Dismissed | Won | Jeffrey Chan |
| Law Society of Singapore | Respondent | Association | Application Dismissed | Won | Yang Lih Shyng |
3. Judges
| Judge Name | Title | Delivered Judgment |
|---|---|---|
| Lai Kew Chai | Judge | Yes |
4. Counsels
| Counsel Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Jeffrey Chan | Attorney General |
| Yang Lih Shyng | Khattar Wong & Partners |
| Davinder Singh | Drew & Napier LLC |
| Hri Kumar | Drew & Napier LLC |
| Siraj Omar | Drew & Napier LLC |
4. Facts
- Mr. Littlemore applied for ad hoc admission to represent Dr. Chee in defamation suits.
- Mr. Littlemore had previously criticized the Singapore judiciary, calling it 'compliant' and 'in the pocket of the government'.
- The Attorney General and the Law Society of Singapore opposed the application based on Mr. Littlemore's disparaging remarks.
- Mr. Littlemore's remarks were made in an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corp and in an article published in the Sydney Morning Herald.
- Dr. Chee argued that Mr. Littlemore's views should not impact his ability to represent him.
- The plaintiffs in the defamation suits did not object to Dr. Chee being represented by a Queen's Counsel but left the suitability of Mr. Littlemore to the court.
5. Formal Citations
- Littlemore Stuart QC, OM 600002/2002, [2002] SGHC 16
6. Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Mr. Littlemore became a Queen's Counsel. | |
| Mr. Littlemore was in Singapore as an observer for the International Commission of Jurists. | |
| The International Commission of Jurists released a report by Mr. Littlemore. | |
| Mr. Littlemore was interviewed by the Australian Broadcasting Corp. | |
| Mr. Littlemore's article was published in the Sydney Morning Herald. | |
| Originating motion filed by Mr. Stuart Littlemore QC. | |
| Motion heard by the High Court. | |
| Application dismissed. |
7. Legal Issues
- Ad Hoc Admission
- Outcome: The court dismissed the application for ad hoc admission.
- Category: Procedural
- Related Cases:
- [1998] 1 SLR 440
- Suitability for Admission
- Outcome: The court found the applicant unsuitable for admission due to his prior disparaging remarks about the Singapore judiciary.
- Category: Substantive
8. Remedies Sought
- Ad Hoc Admission to the Singapore Bar
9. Cause of Actions
- No cause of actions
10. Practice Areas
- Ad Hoc Admission
- Defamation Litigation
11. Industries
- Legal Services
12. Cited Cases
| Case Name | Court | Affirmed | Citation | Jurisdiction | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Re Caplan Jonathan Michael QC (No 2) | High Court | Yes | [1998] 1 SLR 440 | Singapore | Cited for setting out the requirements of Section 21 of the Legal Profession Act for ad hoc admission of Queen's Counsel. |
13. Applicable Rules
| Rule Name |
|---|
| No applicable rules |
14. Applicable Statutes
| Statute Name | Jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| Legal Profession Act (Cap 161, 2001 Ed) s 21 | Singapore |
15. Key Terms and Keywords
15.1 Key Terms
- Ad Hoc Admission
- Queen's Counsel
- Disparagement of Judiciary
- Rule of Law
- Independence of Judiciary
- Defamation Suits
15.2 Keywords
- Ad Hoc Admission
- Queen's Counsel
- Singapore Judiciary
- Defamation
- Legal Profession Act
16. Subjects
- Legal Ethics
- Judicial Independence
- Defamation
17. Areas of Law
- Legal Profession
- Admission
- Civil Procedure