Judge Choo Han Teck to retire from judicial service after 3 decades

Justice Choo Han Teck will be stepping down from his role as judge of the Supreme Court on Feb 20 after three decades in the public service.

He has presided over a diverse range of cases with significant contributions to the development of Singapore's jurisprudence in criminal law, revenue law, employment law and the law of tort, said the Singapore Courts in a statement on Tuesday (Jan 13).

Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon described Justice Choo as a judge with "exemplary judicial temperament". 

"Han Teck has been held in the highest regard by the profession and by his judicial colleagues for his exemplary judicial temperament, his fairness in conduct of proceedings and for his clear and concise judgements."

He added: "He (Justice Choo) played a vital role during a formative period for our legal system, and his many and diverse contributions helped build the foundation on which our justice system stands. His departure will be keenly felt throughout the judiciary and the broader legal fraternity"

Justice Choo, 71, began his legal career in 1980 as a legal assistant before transitioning to academia as a lawyer at the National University of Singapore in 1984. He returned to private practice between 1988 and 1995. 

In 1995, Justice Choo was appointed as a judicial commissioner and later as a High Court judge in 2003.

Justice Choo has been "a cornerstone of the Family Division of the High Court", said the Singapore Courts in its statement, adding that his judgements have been instrumental in shaping family justice in Singapore.

The retiring judge was also appointed as president of the Military Court of Appeal in 2004 and as a member of the Singapore Academy of Law's publication committee in 2006.

Justice Choo's clarity and conciseness are evident in his judgements, such as a 2024 lawsuit over matrimonial assets by two divorced permanent residents from Sri Lanka. 

The appellant, a 63-year-old male lecturer, had argued for a larger share of assets, claiming that he had to bear the expenses of their two sons' future postgraduate degrees.

Justice Choo said in his judgement that while both parents have a parental duty to support their children’s education, including their tertiary education, “reason draws a line at the first tertiary degree”.

He stated: “Parents should not be obliged to provide their children with luxuries – and some educational expenses are clearly luxurious.

“The husband may lavish on the children if he wishes, but not at the expense of the wife. Her obligations end at the basic level the law thinks reasonable."

Justice Choo said in the statement on Tuesday: "Having witnessed the law and the administration of justice undergo significant transformation over the years, I depart with full confidence that our legal system will continue to evolve in service of the public good."

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editor@asiaone.com