A New Trend of Historical Analysis before the Singapore Court of Appeal

This article was inspired by the author’s attendance, as an interested observer, at three separate hearings that took place during the first week in which the Court of Appeal sat for this new legal year. At these hearings, the author noticed that there was a tendency of the Court of Appeal to find history relevant and helpful in determining what the present legal position is or ought to be. This article addresses this trend, if there be one, and its implications for counsel who appear or intend to appear before the Court of Appeal. One of these cases is Vellama d/o Marie Muthu v Attorney-General which was argued by M. Ravi.