Four High Court judges appointed: Prime Minister's Office

Singapore

FOUR new judges of the High Court have been appointed by President Tony Tan Keng Yam on the advice of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

The Prime Minister's Office said on Wednesday the new judges, who will assume their role from Sept 30 are Judicial Commissioner (JC) Valerie Thean Pik Yuen, JC Hoo Sheau Peng, JC Debbie Ong Siew Ling and JC Aedit Abdullah.

With the appointments, the Supreme Court - which comprises the High Court and Court of Appeal - will have a total of 22 judges (including five Judges of Appeal and the Chief Justice), four Judicial Commissioners, five Senior Judges and 12 International Judges.

JC Thean has served in the Courts, the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) and the Ministry of Law. She was appointed the Senior District Judge of the Family and Juvenile Justice Division of the State Courts in March 2014, before assuming her current position as JC of the Supreme Court in September 2014.

She concurrently held the position of Presiding Judge of the Family Justice Courts since October 2014. Her term as a JC and Presiding Judge will expire on Sept 29, 2017. As Presiding Judge of the FJC, she has helped in the development of family law and practice, both in Singapore and the region.

JC Hoo has served in the legal service for over 20 years. She was the Deputy Chief Counsel (Civil Division) of the AGC before she was appointed JC of the Supreme Court in September 2014. She is also the first woman judge to hear criminal cases in the High Court, having presided over 16 criminal cases in 2016, five of which were capital punishment cases.

JC Ong was appointed a JC in November 2014. Before that, she was an associate professor at the National University of Singapore, specialising in family law. Having gained experience in handling both civil and family law cases in the High Court, JC Ong will be appointed Presiding Judge of the FJC when JC Thean's term ends.

JC Aedit has legal experience ranging from civil to criminal matters, including complex financial matters. He became Senior Counsel in 2012, and was the Chief Prosecutor (Criminal Justice Division) at the AGC, before assuming his current appointment as JC of the Supreme Court in November 2014.