This article looks at the process of proof at a common law trial. It will discuss (i) some chief characteristics of the process as a whole, (ii) the purposes which that process serves, and (iii) the values which underlie it. Seen in the larger context, the present heavy emphasis on-or, it might even be said, the obsession with-the rules of admissibility of evidence is hard to justify.

The defence of ex turpi causa is well-established in contract law, but its application in the realm of tort law is less certain. This article examines the various criteria applied by courts when considering whether or not to invoke the maxim in tort cases, and it also considers the differing approaches taken by courts in determining both the stage at which ex turpi causa should be invoked and the specific role which policy should play in ex turpi causa situations. The article also questions the appropriateness of making ex turpi causa a full, rather than a partial, defence in actions in tort.

The recent cases on the Official Secrets Act have, to a certain extent, clarified and limited the scope of criminal liability under section 5 of the Act. This article examines the local decisions and contrasts them with Malaysian and English developments on the subject. Some suggestions for further improvement in this area of the law are made.

This article examines the theoretical justifications in awarding restitutionary damages for civil wrongs and argues that restitutionary damages should be available as of right so long as appropriate rules of causation and remoteness to the different kinds of wrongs are developed as well. In addition the scope of proprietary remedies should be rationalised and should only be explicable on institutional constructive trust principles. Only exceptionally should the remedial constructive trust be invoked.

This article aims to consider the adequacy and efficacy of civil remedies for insider trading presently available in Singapore. The insider trading regimes in the USA, the UK and Australia will be looked at as potential sources of inspiration for reform. The term "civil remedies" refers to the civil relief available both under the common law and under specific legislation against the insider trader. This relief usually takes the form of monetary compensation. The focus of this article on civil remedies essentially excludes any discussion of the criminal penalties imposed upon a wrongdoer as a result of prosecution. The possible claimants for civil relief could be a securities regulatory authority, the corporate issuer of the securities that were subject to insider trading, or the counterparty to the insider in a securities transaction.

Legal language claims to seek precision. It also aims for clarity. But are precision and clarity mutually exclusive aims? Is absolute precision in legal language possible, or even desirable? What makes a text "clear"? How, if at all, are precision and clarity achieved in "plain" legal language but not in its linguistic opposite, "legalese"? Excerpts from Singapore's Railways Act are examined to give the theoretical discussion more concrete form.