New bill targets court abuse with stricter contempt guidelines 

Court abuse includes filing false claims to delay criminal proceedings.

Filing fictitious claims to delay criminal proceedings, along with other serious court abuses, may soon be regarded as contempt of court in Singapore.

Other cases that may be considered contempt of court include filing civil suits for financial damages despite knowing the claim is baseless, harassing the defendant, and repeatedly starting actions or applications that are clearly groundless.

According to the Ministry of Law, the Administration of Justice (Protection) (Amendment) Bill 2024 won’t cover civil cases dismissed for simply having no merit or those that can be handled by strike-outs and cost orders.

It also exempts litigants and lawyers who act carefully and in good faith. 

The court will still assess each case to determine if it amounts to contempt.