Header: Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon (front row, centre) and the Supreme Court bench pose for a photograph at the National Gallery Foyer, on Jan 12, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Wallace Woon)
I almost read that headline as “public execution” !!!
2026 marks two centuries since the Second Charter of Justice 1826, which established the modern legal and judicial system in Singapore.
SINGAPORE: The Singapore Judiciary will be celebrating 200 years of the rule of law this year with a year-long public exhibition, a gala dinner and other initiatives.
The bicentennial celebrations were announced at the opening of the legal year on Monday (Jan 12).
This year marks two centuries since the Second Charter of Justice 1826, which established the modern legal and judicial system in Singapore.
The charter united the disparate communities in Singapore under one law and one court, “and one unwavering commitment to justice and right”, Attorney-General Lucien Wong said in a speech at the Supreme Court on Monday.
As part of the celebrations, Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon launched the bicentennial logo and a commemorative medallion, which features Singapore’s first courthouse and its current Supreme Court.
The medallion was presented to attendees of the opening of the bicentennial legal year and will be given to selected recipients throughout 2026.
To mark the occasion, the Singapore Academy of Law on Monday launched a year-long exhibition on the second floor of the Supreme Court, titled The Charter & The Courts: 200 Years of the Rule of Law in Singapore.
The exhibition, which is free and open to the public, traces the judiciary’s role in Singapore’s stability and success, and aims to engage the community, particularly students, in understanding how the legal system has evolved.
The celebrations will culminate in November with the Bicentennial Celebration Week, featuring three events:
- The Global Rule of Law Conference with global judicial leaders
- The Bicentennial Gala Dinner, where a commemorative publication, The Singapore Judiciary – A Bicentennial History, will be launched
- A formal sitting of the court where foreign chief justices and judicial representatives will be invited to attend
Chief Justice Menon said in his speech on Monday: “As we stand at the cusp of a new century in the history of our courts and legal system, we can look to the future with anticipation, excitement and optimism.
“Two hundred years ago, the Second Charter of Justice laid the foundations of our legal and judicial system. From those modest beginnings in 1826, we built institutions and platforms that today serve not only Singapore, but contribute meaningfully to the global architecture of justice.”
