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Reciprocal Enforcement of Commonwealth Judgments Act

Reciprocal Enforcement of Commonwealth Judgments Act (Cap 264, 1985 Rev Ed)

https://sso.agc.gov.sg/Act/RECJA1921

The Reciprocal Enforcement of Commonwealth Judgments Act (“RECJA”) provides for the registration and enforcement of judgments obtained from the superior courts of the United Kingdom and other gazetted jurisdictions. Gazetted jurisdictions include New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Pakistan, Brunei Darussalam, Windward Islands, Papua New Guinea, India (except for the states of Jammu and Kashmir), the Commonwealth of Australia, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia, Australian Capital Territory, Norfolk Island and Northern Territory. The RECJA only applies to monetary judgments.

A person who has obtained a judgment from a jurisdiction within the ambit of RECJA and who wishes to enforce that judgment in Singapore must apply to register the judgment in the High Court of Singapore within 12 months of the date of the judgment, or such longer period as the Court may allow. Once registered, the judgment may be enforced in like manner as a locally obtained judgment.

Registration may be refused in certain circumstances. These include situations where the original court acted without jurisdiction, where the judgment was obtained by fraud, or where the judgment debtor satisfies the court that an appeal is pending, or that he is entitled and intends to appeal against the judgment.

The REFJA was amended in 2016 such that it would not apply to any judgment which may be recognised or enforced in Singapore under the Choice of Court Agreements Act 2016 (No 14 of 2016).

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