Chee Soon Juan v Public Prosecutor: Application for Adjournment of Trial Proceedings
Chee Soon Juan applied to the High Court of Singapore for an adjournment of his trial before District Judge Thian Yee Sze, seeking time to instruct counsel. The High Court, presided over by Choo Han Teck J, dismissed the application, citing it as an abuse of process, as the trial judge has discretion over the conduct of proceedings and the applicant's recourse lies in appeal after the final verdict. The application was related to charges PS 718 of 2006 and PS 721 of 2006.
1. Case Overview
1.1 Court
High Court1.2 Outcome
Application dismissed.
1.3 Case Type
Criminal
1.4 Judgment Type
Grounds of Decision
1.5 Jurisdiction
Singapore
1.6 Description
Chee Soon Juan's application for adjournment of trial proceedings to instruct counsel was dismissed as an abuse of court process.
1.7 Decision Date
2. Parties and Outcomes
| Party Name | Role | Type | Outcome | Outcome Type | Counsels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Prosecutor | Respondent | Government Agency | Application dismissed | Won | Christopher Ong Siu Jin of Deputy Public Prosecutor Lee Jwee Nguan of Deputy Public Prosecutor |
| Chee Soon Juan | Applicant | Individual | Application dismissed | Lost |
3. Judges
| Judge Name | Title | Delivered Judgment |
|---|---|---|
| Choo Han Teck | J | Yes |
4. Counsels
| Counsel Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Christopher Ong Siu Jin | Deputy Public Prosecutor |
| Lee Jwee Nguan | Deputy Public Prosecutor |
4. Facts
- The applicant was on trial with Yap Keng Ho on two charges.
- The applicant's counsel discharged himself on the first day of trial.
- The applicant sought an adjournment to instruct new counsel.
- The trial judge rejected the adjournment application.
- The applicant filed a criminal motion seeking the same adjournment.
5. Formal Citations
- Chee Soon Juan v Public Prosecutor, Cr M 21/2008, [2008] SGHC 127
6. Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Charges PS 718 of 2006 and PS 721 of 2006 were filed against Chee Soon Juan and Yap Keng Ho. | |
| Trial commenced before District Judge Thian Yee Sze. | |
| Mr Chia Ti Lik was granted leave to discharge himself as counsel for the applicant. | |
| Mr Joseph Chen appeared and applied for an adjournment, which was rejected. Mr Chen then discharged himself as counsel. | |
| Applicant filed an application for adjournment. | |
| Application for adjournment was dismissed. | |
| Trial was scheduled to continue. | |
| Applicant sought adjournment until this date. |
7. Legal Issues
- Adjournment of Trial
- Outcome: The court dismissed the application for adjournment, deeming it an abuse of process.
- Category: Procedural
- Sub-Issues:
- Abuse of process of court
- Related Cases:
- [2006] SGHC 202
- [2007] 1 SLR 259
8. Remedies Sought
- Adjournment of trial proceedings
9. Cause of Actions
- No cause of actions
10. Practice Areas
- Criminal Law
11. Industries
- No industries specified
12. Cited Cases
| Case Name | Court | Affirmed | Citation | Jurisdiction | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chee Soon Juan v Public Prosecutor | High Court | Yes | [2006] SGHC 202 | Singapore | Cited to show a previous similar application made by the applicant. |
| Yap Keng Ho v Public Prosecutor | High Court | Yes | [2007] 1 SLR 259 | Singapore | Cited to show a previous similar application made by the co-accused. |
13. Applicable Rules
| Rule Name |
|---|
| No applicable rules |
14. Applicable Statutes
| Statute Name | Jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| No applicable statutes | |
15. Key Terms and Keywords
15.1 Key Terms
- Adjournment
- Trial
- Counsel
- Abuse of process
- Independence of the judiciary
- Discretion of the court
15.2 Keywords
- Criminal
- Adjournment
- Trial
- Singapore
- High Court
17. Areas of Law
| Area Name | Relevance Score |
|---|---|
| Sentencing | 75 |
| Criminal Procedure | 75 |
| Abuse of Process | 60 |
| Evidence Law | 40 |
| Litigant-in-person | 30 |
16. Subjects
- Criminal Law
- Criminal Procedure