How do I locate case law?

Reading the case name

Civil CasesIndo Commercial Society (Pte) Ltd v Ebrahim & Anor (S’pore)

Fisher v Bell (UK)

Criminal Cases

Public Prosecutor v Too Yong Wei(S’pore)

R v Smith (UK)

Reading the case citation

Year Vol Report Pg

[1992] 2 SLR(R) 667

The citation tells us that the case is reported in vol 2 of the Singapore Law Reports (Reissue) for 1992, starting on page 667.

English case citation

Year Vol Report Pg

[1893] 1 QB 491

The citation tells us that the case is reported in vol 1 of the Queens Bench Law Report for 1893, starting on page 491.

Reading citations

Neutral citation

Year of decision Court Sequential Number

[2007] SGHC 24

This is a system of citation where each written judgment from a particular level of court is assigned a sequential number, starting from 1 at the beginning of each calendar year.

Singapore Neutral Citations:

SGCA – Court of appeal

SGDC – District Court

SGFC – Family Court

SGHC – High Court

SGJC – Juvenile Court

SGMC – Magistrates Court

SGSC – Supreme Court

SGSCT – Small Claims Tribunal

Checking abbreviations

What do the abbreviations mean?

How do you know whether it is a Singapore case or an English case?

Cardiff Index to Legal Abbreviations

http://www.legalabbrevs.cardiff.ac.uk/

Le Lievre v Gould [1893] 1 QB 491

Which database do you use?

Locating a Singapore case

Planmarine AG v Maritime and Part Authority of Singapore

[1999] 1 SLR(R) 669

Which database do I use?

Use LawNet

Locating an English case

Le Lievre v Gould [1893] 1 QB 491.

Which database do I use?

Use LawNet / Lexis / Westlaw

Another example

Donoghue v Stevenson [1932] AC 562

Alcock v Chief Constable of the South Yorkshire Police

[1991] 4 ALL ER 907