the authority to be the first court to hear a case falls under original jurisdiction.
the authority to be the first court to hear a case falls under which type of jurisdiction?
original jurisdiction
the high court exercises both original jurisdiction and appellate jurisdiction in civil and criminal matters. by possessing original jurisdiction, the court is able to hear cases at first instance; in other words, it can deal with trials of matters coming before the courts for the first time. in theory, the court has unlimited original jurisdiction – it can hear any type of civil or criminal case, no matter how trivial or serious. however, in practice, parties may be penalized by having to pay higher costs (legal fees) if they choose to bring a civil case before the high court when it is more appropriately dealt with by a subordinate court. for example, a magistrate's court may hear civil cases where the amount claimed does not exceed s$60,000. if a plaintiff commences an action in the high court to recover a sum of money based on contract, tort or any written law, and the suit could have been filed in a magistrate's court, if the plaintiff eventually succeeds in recovering a sum that does not exceed $60,000, she is not entitled to receive any more costs – legal expenses payable to her by the defendant – than a magistrate's court would have ordered. generally, except in probate matters, a civil case must be commenced in the high court if the value of the claim exceeds s$250,000. probate matters are commenced in the high court only if the value of the deceased's estate exceeds $3 million, or if the case involves the resealing of a foreign grant of probate or letters of administration.
high court (singapore)
the prosecutor may agree to diversion if the case falls under schedule 1 or 2, provided that, if the case falls under schedule 2, the prosecutor must first consult the victim and the investigating officer. if the case falls under schedule 3, the dpp may in writing agree to diversion, if exceptional circumstances exist. here, too, the dpp must consult the victim and the investigating officer. once the prosecutor or dpp has agreed to diversion, the court makes an order that the case be diverted.
criminal procedure in south africa