Singapore High Court Clarifies that Hong Kong Non-Money Judgments Are Not Registrable in Singapore Under the Reciprocal Enforcement of Judgments Act 1959

18 Jul 2022 CaseWatch

The General Division of the High Court of Singapore (“High Court”) has, in Ha Chi Kut (suing as the sole executrix of the estate of Khoo Ee Liam, deceased) v Chen Aun-Li Andrew [2022] SGHC 149, held that an order issued in Hong Kong ordering the payment of legal costs to be taxed (if not agreed) is not a money judgment in the sense that no sum of money is payable under it until the quantum of costs has been taxed and certified. Accordingly, the six-year period allowed for registration under the Reciprocal Enforcement of Judgments Act 1959 (“REFJA”) did not commence until after the quantum of costs payable had been taxed and certified. In reaching its decision, the High Court noted that, at present, non-final and non-money judgments from Hong Kong are not registrable under the REFJA.

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