More aggrieved parents are turning to mediation centres instead of the Maintenance of Parents Tribunal. Since 2001, community mediation centres here have heard about 14 cases yearly involving maintenance of parents, a spokesman for the mediation centres said. The Maintenance of Parents Tribunal has heard about seven cases a month this year, compared with about 25 a month in 1996. Tribunal president Mr K.S. Rajah said that almost 60 per cent of the 773 cases the tribunal handled from 1996 - 2001 involved parents suing either one or two children for maintenance. In only 30 per cent, the parents sued three, four or five children for support. (Straits Times 13 Sep 2003 H10) 

 A 35-year-old lawyer, who is being sued by five people who said they had handed him about S$4.5 million, has gone missing. Mr TAN Cheng Yew is a former partner at a local law firm. (Straits Times 25 Feb 2003)(3)

  Mr Philip Jeyaretnam, 38, Mr LEE Seiu Kin, 48, Mr LIM Teong Qwee, 67, Ms Indranee Rajah, 39, and Mr Andre YEAP, 41, were appointed as Senior Counsel yesterday. They will add to the elite numbers of 31 Senior Counsel - Singapore's version of Britain's Queen's Counsel - who are appointed each year by a select committee. The scheme started in 1997. (Straits Times 5 Jan 2003) (26)

  Chief Justice YONG Pung How noted that lawyers were still being indiscriminate about the number of documents they filed, despite his warning last year that substantial court costs would be imposed against them. He cited a recent example in which a lawyer whose firm filed more than 2,000 pages did not refer to a single page during his 75-minute submission in court. CJ YONG added that in future, the court would not hesitate to exercise its discretion in making errant lawyers pay for costs arising from any irresponsible conduct. (Straits Times 5 Jan 2003)(3)