Legal Research Tools
This is a guide to major print and online resources for locating Singapore legal materials. The resources are divided into 4 categories:
A. Indexes
Primary Sources of Law: Legislation
Index to Singapore statutes and subsidiary legislation. Maintained by the C J Koh Law Library.
Singapore Subsidiary Legislation (1981-1991); (1991-2006)
Homegrown searchable indexes of amendments to Singapore Subsidiary Legislation (1990 Ed.).
Available to staff and students of NUS via the NUS Libraries Portal.
The Statutes of the Republic of Singapore (Indexes)
K7399 1985 (LW Loans Desk)
The Alphabetical List of Public Acts and Chronological Table of Acts is available for reference at the Loans Desk at the C J Koh Law Library.
B. Citators
Mallal's Digest: Legislation Citator 1932 to 2014
K7599.3 Mdl 2014 (LW Reference 1)
This citator contains a table of Singapore legislation considered by the courts. Note: the latest Legislation Citator (1932 to 2015) only contains references to Malaysian legislation.
Singapore Law Reports (Reissue): Table of Legislation Referred to: 1965 to 2009
K7599 SLR (LW Sing-Mal Coll)
The citator contains a listing of legislation referred to in cases reported in the SLR(R) from 1965 to 2009.
C. Encyclopaedias
Butterworth's Annotated Statutes of Singapore
K7399 Sbas (LW Leg/Reports, LW Sing-Mal Coll)
Detailed annotations to provisions of the Statutes of Singapore. However, this set is only useful for older editions of statutes as it has not been updated since 2001. More up-to-date annotations have been published separately by LexisNexis. To find these materials, run a keyword search for "lexisnexis annotated statutes singapore" in LINC: http://linc.nus.edu.sg/search.
Halsbury's Laws of Singapore
KE5011 Hal (LW RBR, LW Reference 1, LW Sing-Mal Coll)
Contains commentaries on and analyses of Singapore statutes. Online version also available via Lexis Singapore.
D. Legislation Updates
Singapore Law Watch
RSS feeds to the latest updates on Singapore legislation.
E. Databases
Bills Introduced
Full texts of bills (and accompanying explanatory statements) as introduced at their First Reading in Parliament. Where available, the date when the bill was passed is provided. Published by the Singapore Parliament (Jan 2006-)
Electronic Gazette (eGazette)
The electronic version of the Singapore Government Gazette is published daily and is available to the general public for viewing for 5 days. Official documents include:
- Bills Supplement
- Acts Supplement
- Subsidiary Legislation Supplement
- Treaties Supplement.
Access to NUS staff and students: see librarian at C J Koh Law Library Information Desk.
LawNet
Subscription database administered by the Singapore Academy of Law containing Singapore statutes, subsidiary legislation, Parliament reports and treaties.
Access: NUS Law staff and students; Other NUS staff and students
Laws of the Straits Settlements 1835-1919
Also known as the Braddell Edition, these laws are an important part of Singapore's legal history. The C J Koh Law Library has digitised the 5-volume set which is made freely available via the NUS Libraries' catalogue, LINC.
Offical Reports: Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)
Searchable database of official parliamentary debates made available by the Singapore Parliament (1955-)
Select Committee Reports
Select Committee Reports are available on the Singapore Parliament website (1955-)
Sessional papers of the Colonial Government of Singapore, 1946-1960: CO 940
Contains Colony of Singapore Advisory Council and Colony of Singapore Legislative Council sessional papers.
Access: NUS staff and students
Singapore Statutes Online (SSO)
The official Singapore Government website for online publication of legislation provided and maintained by the Attorney General's Chambers. The website contains:
- Current versions of Singapore Acts and Subsidiary Legislation
- Acts Supplements new Subsidiary Legislation and amending Subsidiary Legislation published each year.
Straits Settlements government gazette, 1867-1942: CO 276
Contains Bills. Also includes government notifications, proclamations and advertisements.
Access: NUS staff and students
Straits Settlements sessional papers, 1855-1940: CO 275
This database contains reports on the proceedings of the Legislative Council of the Straits Settlements from 1867 to 1940.
Access: NUS staff and students
A. Indexes
Mallal's Digest: Consolidated Subject Index 1808 to 2015
K7599.3 Mdcs 2016 (LW Reference 1)
A 4-volume subject index of cases digested in the 5th edition of Mallal's Digest.
Mallal's Digest: Consolidated Table of Cases 2015
K7599.3 Md (LW Reference 1)
Alphabetical table of cases digested in the 5th edition of Mallal's Digest. Refer to the Preface for details of coverage.
Primary Sources of Law: Cases
Index to legal decisions from the courts and various tribunals. Maintained by the C J Koh Law Library.
Singapore Law Reports (Reissue): Comparative Table of Citations & Table of Cases Reported 1965 to 2009
K7599 SLR (LW Sing-Mal Coll)
The Table of Cases Reported contains an alphabetical list of cases reported in the Singapore Law Reports (Reissue) from 1965 to 2009.
B. Citators
Mallal's Digest: Case Citator 1932 to 2015
K7599.3 Mdc 2016 (LW Reference 1)
Alphabetical table of reported cases with references to all subsequent cases in which the cases have been judicially considered.
Singapore Law Reports (Reissue): Comparative Table of Citations & Table of Cases Reported: 1965 to 2009
K7599 SLR (LW Sing-Mal Coll)
The Comparative Table of Citations provides corresponding SLR(R) citations to SLR/MLJ citations.
Singapore Law Reports (Reissue): Table of Cases Referred to: 1965 to 2009 (A to L; M to Z)
K7599 SLR (LW Sing-Mal Coll)
The citator contains a listing of cases referred to in cases reported in the SLR(R) from 1965 to 2009.
C. Commentaries
Singapore Academy of Law annual review of Singapore cases ...
KE5003 SALAR (LW Bound Journals, LW Sing-Mal Coll)
The review encapsulates and evaluates decisions of the Singapore courts. Cases from other jurisdictions impacting local law are also discussed. Open access to the issues is also provided by Academy Publishing.
Singapore Law Watch: Commentaries
Commentaries on court judgments published in the last 3 months. Published by the Singapore Academy of Law.
D. Digests
Mallal's Digest ... : being a Comprehensive Statement of the Case Law of Singapore and Malaysia for the Year ... [Mallal's Digest Yearbook]
K7599.3 MDY (LW Reference 1, LW Sing-Mal Coll)
Annual compilation, in digest form, of reported cases decided by the Singapore superior courts and all relevant unreported decisions.
Mallal's digest of Malaysian, Singaporean, English and Australian case law (5th ed.)
K7599.3 Md (LW Reference 1, LW Sing-Mal Coll)
Summaries of reported and selected unreported decisions of Singapore superior courts.
E. Encyclopaedia
Halsbury's Laws of Singapore
KE5011 Hal (LW RBR, LW Reference 1, LW Sing-Mal Coll)
Encyclopaedia of Singapore law on various subjects. Contains commentaries on case law. Online version available via Lexis Singapore.
F. Databases
LawNet
Subscription database containing Singapore case law, in particular :
- Singapore Law Reports
- Malayan Law Journal
- unreported judgments
- decisions of various boards and tribunals
- older series of law reports.
Access: NUS Law staff and students; Other NUS staff and students
LawNet: Free Resources
RSS feeds to judgments of the Supreme Court, State Courts and Family Court for the last 3 months.
Lexis Singapore
The Malayan Law Journal, which contains Singapore judgments from 1932 to 1965, is available via this database.
Access: NUS staff and students
Singapore Law Watch: Judgments
Supreme Court judgments from 2000, and IPOS and PDPC decisions from 2018. Published by the Singapore Academy of Law.
A. Indexes
Index to Legal Periodicals & Books
Searchable index which provides good coverage of books and journal articles on Singapore law.
Access: NUS staff & students
Law in Singapore: Journals
Listing of both modern and historical legal journals.
LegalTrac
Indexing database with Anglo-American focus which includes coverage of journal articles on Singapore law.
Access: NUS staff & students
LINC
Search the NUS Libraries catalogue for books, theses and journals on Singapore law.
Mallal's Digest: Index to Legal Periodicals of Malaysia and Singapore 1932 to 2015
K7599.3 Mdp 2016 (LW Reference 1, LW Sing-Mal Coll)
Publication contains subject and author indexes to legal periodicals published in Malaysia and Singapore between 1932 and 2015.
PERIND
The NUS Libraries' homegrown index of journal articles and book chapters relating to Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei and ASEAN. Legal articles relating to Singapore were covered extensively until 2009. Useful for researching older materials.
Available to NUS staff and students via the NUS Libraries Portal.
B. Bibliographies
A Bibliographical Survey of Singaporean Legal Materials
KE5280 Pha (LW Books, LW SingMal Coll)
Handbook for research into the Singapore legal system by Justice Andrew Phang published in 1999.
C. Databases & Websites
Factiva
Legal news from the Business Times (30 April 1994-) and the Straits Times (1 May 1995-).
Access: NUS staff and students
HeinOnline
Most Singapore law journals including the Singapore Academy of Law Annual Review, Singapore Academy of Law Journal, Singapore Year Book of International Law (formerly Singapore Journal of International & Comparative Law) and Singapore Journal of Legal Studies may be accessed via this subscription database.
Access: NUS staff and students
LawNet
This subscription database provides access to local law journals including the Malaya Law Review, Singapore Academy of Law Journal, Singapore Year Book of International Law (formerly Singapore Journal of International & Comparative Law), Singapore Journal of Legal Studies and Singapore Law Review. An online collection of legal texts like the Sentencing Practice in the Subordinate Courts is also available.
Access: NUS Law staff and students; Other NUS staff and students
LexisNexis Academic
Legal news from the Business Times (May 1992-) and the Straits Times (Jan 1992-).
Access: NUS staff and students
NewspaperSG
Digital archive of current and historical Singapore and Malaya newspapers published between 1831-2009.
Singapore Law Blog
Local blog that showcases practically relevant law journal articles, and discusses legal developments in other parts of the world where relevant to Singapore.
A. Indexes/Guides
Historical Sources of Singapore Law
LibGuide to primary and secondary sources of Singapore law, starting from the founding of modern Singapore in 1819.
Law in Singapore
LibGuide to Singapore legal resources.
Law in Singapore
Topical index to Singapore legal resources on the Internet published by the C J Koh Law Library.
B. Dictionaries/Glossaries
Butterworths' Annotated Statutes of Singapore: Statute Referencer
K7399 Sbas (LW Leg/Reports, LW Sing-Mal Coll)
Sections V and V5001 of this volume contain Words and Phrases Statutorily and Judicially Defined. This is a compilation of words and phrases statutorily defined in the revised editions of the statutes of Singapore in force as at 2 June 2000, and judicially defined by the Singapore and Malaysian courts from 1932 to 2 June 2000.
Glossary of Terms (Supreme Court Singapore)
Glossary of terms used in the courts.
Glossary of Terms Commonly Used in the Proceedings of the State Courts:
Parliamentary Glossary
KE5012 Sin 2003 (LW Reference 2, LW Sing-Mal Coll)
Glossary of terms used in the Singapore Parliament.
Plain English for Latin Expressions
Prepared by the Law Reform Committee of the Singapore Academy of Law, this lexicon "compiles some common Latin expressions used in legal parlance and provides their corresponding plain English translation".
C. Citation Manuals
Canadian Guide to Uniform Legal Citation
KB280.2 Can 2014 (LW RBR, LW Holdshelf, LW Reference 1)
This is the preferred style guide for legal writing at the NUS Faculty of Law.
OSCOLA
KB280.2 Osc 2012 (LW RBR)
This citation style is gaining in popularity and usage.
Singapore Academy of Law: Style Guide Quick Reference (2007)
Singapore Academy of Law's in-house style guide.
D. Directories
Find a Lawyer/Law Practice
Find a law firm or lawyer via the Law Society website.
Legal Directory (Singapore)
Online directory published by the C J Koh Law Library.
E. Encyclopaedias
Halsbury's Laws of Singapore
KE5011 Hal (LW RBR, LW Reference 1, LW Sing-Mal Coll)
Contains narrative statements of core areas of Singapore law and practice. Online version available via Lexis Singapore.
Law of Singapore
A summary of the Singapore legal system and links to various sources of law on Wikipedia.
F. Legal Abbreviations
Canadian Guide to Uniform Legal Citation
KB280.2 Can 2014 (LWRBR, LW Holdshelf, LW Reference 1)
The lists in the appendices at the back of the book include abbreviations for Malaysian and Singapore law reports and journals which are preferred for the NUS Faculty of Law house style.
Singapore Legal Abbreviations
Abbreviations for law reports and journals published in Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei. Based on the holdings of the C J Koh Law Library.
G. Legal News (Current)
Singapore Law Blog
Blog "dedicated to the discussion of the latest Singapore court decisions and legal news."
Singapore Law Watch
Daily legal news syndication site by the Singapore Academy of Law.
The Straits Times: Singapore Law
News on Singapore law published in the Straits Times. See also: Singapore Courts & Crime.
Content updated on 12 Nov 2018