Re Caplan Jonathan Michael QC: Application for Ad Hoc Admission of Queen's Counsel in Jockey's Appeal
Mr. Jonathan Michael Caplan, a Queen's Counsel, applied to the High Court of Singapore under s 21 of the Legal Profession Act for ad hoc admission to represent Mr. Saimee bin Jumaat, a jockey appealing a one-year suspension for allegedly breaching racing rules. The court, presided over by Justice Tan Lee Meng, dismissed the application, finding that the appeal did not involve issues of sufficient difficulty or complexity to warrant the admission of a Queen's Counsel, given the capabilities of the local bar.
1. Case Overview
1.1 Court
High Court1.2 Outcome
Application dismissed with costs.
1.3 Case Type
Civil
1.4 Judgment Type
Judgment reserved.
1.5 Jurisdiction
Singapore
1.6 Description
Application to admit Queen's Counsel for jockey's appeal was dismissed as the case was not sufficiently complex. The court emphasized the local bar's capabilities.
1.7 Decision Date
2. Parties and Outcomes
| Party Name | Role | Type | Outcome | Outcome Type | Counsels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attorney-General | Respondent | Government Agency | Opposition Successful | Won | Dominic Zou of State Counsel |
| Law Society of Singapore | Respondent | Statutory Board | Opposition Successful | Won | Kelvin Tan Teck San of Law Society of Singapore |
| Jonathan Michael Caplan | Applicant | Individual | Application Dismissed | Lost |
3. Judges
| Judge Name | Title | Delivered Judgment |
|---|---|---|
| Tan Lee Meng | Judge | Yes |
4. Counsels
| Counsel Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Dominic Zou | State Counsel |
| Kelvin Tan Teck San | Law Society of Singapore |
| Paul Ong Min-Tse | Allen & Gledhill |
| Christopher Tan Teow Hin | Allen & Gledhill |
4. Facts
- Mr. Jonathan Michael Caplan, a Queen's Counsel, applied to be admitted as an advocate and solicitor.
- The application was to represent Mr. Saimee bin Jumaat, a jockey appealing a one-year suspension.
- Mr. Saimee was suspended for allegedly breaching rule 144(2) of the Malayan Racing Association Rules of Racing.
- The Law Society of Singapore and the Attorney-General opposed the application.
- The court found that the appeal did not involve issues of sufficient difficulty or complexity.
5. Formal Citations
- Re Caplan Jonathan Michael QC, OS 1176/2006, [2006] SGHC 125
6. Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Race involving Mr. Saimee and Diamond N Ace. | |
| Stipendiary Stewards’ inquiry convened. | |
| Stipendiary Stewards’ inquiry held. | |
| Stipendiary Stewards’ inquiry held. | |
| Judgment reserved. |
7. Legal Issues
- Ad Hoc Admission of Queen's Counsel
- Outcome: The court dismissed the application for ad hoc admission, finding that the case was not of sufficient difficulty and complexity.
- Category: Procedural
8. Remedies Sought
- Admission to the Bar
9. Cause of Actions
- Application for Ad Hoc Admission
10. Practice Areas
- Admission to the Bar
11. Industries
- Law
12. Cited Cases
| Case Name | Court | Affirmed | Citation | Jurisdiction | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Re Oliver David Keightley Rideal QC | High Court | Yes | [1992] SLR 400 | Singapore | Cited for the object of s 21 of the LPA to develop a strong local bar. |
| Re Caplan Jonathan Michael QC (No 2) | Court of Appeal | Yes | [1998] 1 SLR 440 | Singapore | Cited for the three-stage test for admission under s 21(1) of the LPA. |
| Price Arthur Leolin v Attorney General | Court of Appeal | Yes | [1992] 2 SLR 972 | Singapore | Cited for elaborating on the requirements at the first stage of the three-stage test for admission under s 21(1) of the LPA. |
| Kok Seng Chong v Bukit Turf Club | High Court | Yes | [1993] 2 SLR 388 | Singapore | Cited as a case pertaining to horse racing where local counsel appeared. |
| Ang Ah Lah Richard v Singapore Turf Club | High Court | Yes | [2001] SGHC 71 | Singapore | Cited as a case pertaining to horse racing where local counsel appeared. |
| Bernard Desker Gary v Thwaites Racing Pte Ltd | High Court | Yes | [2003] SGHC 175 | Singapore | Cited as a case pertaining to horse racing where local counsel appeared. |
| Re Flint Charles John Raffles QC | High Court | Yes | [2001] 2 SLR 276 | Singapore | Cited for the point that the local Bar has matured. |
13. Applicable Rules
| Rule Name |
|---|
| No applicable rules |
14. Applicable Statutes
| Statute Name | Jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| Legal Profession Act (Cap 161, 2001 Rev Ed) | Singapore |
15. Key Terms and Keywords
15.1 Key Terms
- Queen's Counsel
- Ad Hoc Admission
- Legal Profession Act
- Malayan Racing Association Rules of Racing
- Stipendiary Stewards
- Jockey Suspension
15.2 Keywords
- Queen's Counsel
- Ad Hoc Admission
- Singapore
- Legal Profession Act
- Jockey
- Appeal
17. Areas of Law
| Area Name | Relevance Score |
|---|---|
| Ad Hoc Admission | 95 |
| Legal Profession Act | 90 |
| Horse Racing | 70 |
16. Subjects
- Legal Profession
- Admission to the Bar