Media Release: Accessible justice in action: Small Claims Tribunals mark 40 years with public open house

1.   The State Courts culminated a year of commemorative activities marking the 40th anniversary of the Small Claims Tribunals (SCTs)—a cornerstone of accessible justice in Singapore—with an Open House on December 10, 2025. The Open House, which offered the public a unique behind-the-scenes look at the SCTs' operations, was held at the State Courts from 1pm to 5pm and attracted over 300 attendees, underscoring the strong public interest in navigating the legal process for small claims. This series of milestones celebrated the SCTs' enduring role in providing an efficient, affordable, and accessible avenue for resolving small-value disputes. Key activities led by the State Courts throughout the year included a major symposium in April; the launch of the inaugural book in the Singapore Court Series, Small Claims Tribunals in Singapore: Accessible, Affordable, Empowering; and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) to enhance consumer dispute management.

2.   The SCTs were established in 1985 under the Small Claims Tribunals Act, providing an avenue for consumers to seek quick redress against errant merchants in a less formal and inexpensive forum without having to engage a lawyer. The SCTs’ streamlined, judge-led procedures and simplified rules of evidence are designed to empower court users to navigate the justice process and present their cases effectively. Hearing an average of over 10,000 cases per year in recent years, the SCTs' jurisdiction now encompasses consumer disputes involving contracts for goods and services, landlord-tenant disputes arising from residential leases not exceeding two years, unfair practices in hire-purchase agreements, and various statutory claims. The claim limit of the SCTs is up to $20,000, or $30,000 with both parties' written consent. 

3.   As part of the State Courts' ongoing efforts to increase access to justice, the Open House offered practical assistance, helping the public understand how the SCTs address practical challenges like time and cost that might otherwise deter them from seeking legal redress. The event underscored a whole-of-community effort in supporting court users and enhancing public trust. This was highlighted by the active participation of key stakeholders, including CASE, Pro Bono SG, and the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL), who demonstrated their commitment to reinforcing public confidence in the justice system.

4.   The inaugural SCTs Open House provided attendees with comprehensive behind-the-scenes access and hands-on experience of the SCTs processes, all without the necessity of filing an actual claim. Attendees embarked on guided, interactive tours that walked them through the end-to-end management of disputes, starting from the initial filing of the claim on the Community Justice and Tribunals System (CJTS), proceeding to the pre-trial consultation stage, and culminating in the actual hearing before the Tribunal Magistrate.  Through informative slides and opportunities for experiential role-play covering topics such as the filing of claims, and attending pre-trial consultations and hearings, the Open House demystified the judicial and legal process, and demonstrated how accessible and user-friendly the SCTs are. Attendees also learned about the available support services for small-value disputes at the information booths set up by partners such as CASE, the SAL, and Pro Bono SG.

5.   Open house attendees gained useful hands-on experience with the filing process on the CJTS using mock case scenarios. Launched in 2017, the CJTS brings the whole tribunals justice process online, providing court users with the convenience of filing a claim, making payments and managing cases online. Crucially, it guides Self-Represented Persons through the entire tribunal process and facilitates remote hearings, reducing the need for physical court attendance. The efficacy and user-friendliness of this platform were recently recognised when the State Courts were named the top agency for Best Customer Satisfaction for Transactional Services (Category A) at the Digital Services Awards 2025, organised by GovTech and supported by the Smart Nation Group in November 2025.

6.   An initial translation service was first launched in December 2024. Parties in an SCTs case were initially able to scan a QR Code at the bottom of the Notice of Consultation to obtain a Chinese, Malay or Tamil translation of the Notice of Consultation and Claim Form.

7.   In March 2025, the translation service was expanded: parties in an SCTs case are now able to use the Generative AI-driven translation service available on the CJTS platform to translate case documents filed in CJTS, such as witness statements and documentary evidence such as emails to Chinese, Malay or Tamil, to assist with their case preparation and submissions.

8.   The use of Generative AI extends beyond translation to support various aspects of the tribunal process. A Generative AI-powered case summarisation tool was rolled out on 10 September 2025 to enable Tribunal Magistrates and Assistant Registrars hearing SCTs cases to generate case summaries to assist them in preparing for their hearings.

9.   Since 2 December 2025, self-represented persons have been able to use the Generative AI-powered case summarisation tool to better understand the crux of their respective positions, legal arguments and evidence. This in turn assists parties with the preparation and presentation of their cases before the SCTs. This is the latest feature on the CJTS platform to enhance access to justice for SRPs.