The 12th Meeting of the Council of ASEAN Chief Justices (CACJ), hosted by the Supreme Court of Singapore, concluded with significant milestones achieved in regional judicial cooperation, particularly in cross-border insolvency and restructuring proceedings.
A major outcome of the meeting was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Supreme Court of Singapore and the Supreme Court of the Philippines. The MOU formally establishes a framework for judicial communication and coordination between the two courts, ensuring more efficient and prompt management of cross-border insolvency and restructuring matters.
During the sideline events on 14 November 2025, the CACJ reached a consensus on the adoption of the Model Framework for Court Communication in Cross-Border Insolvency Proceedings among ASEAN judiciaries (Model Framework).
This Model Framework represents a significant step forward in facilitating cross-court communication throughout the region. It encourages each ASEAN judiciary to voluntarily adopt its provisions and designate a dedicated point of liaison to streamline court-to-court communications in complex cross-border cases.
In a highlight of the meeting, Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon of Singapore was elected to serve as the Chair of the CACJ for an unprecedented third term, reflecting his sustained leadership and dedication to regional judicial reform.
The meeting also formally welcomed a delegation from Timor-Leste as observers. This follows the country’s accession as ASEAN’s 11th member in October 2025, marking a step toward greater inclusivity within the judicial council. In keeping with tradition, all Chief Justices and Heads of Delegations signed the Singapore Declaration at the close of the meeting, publicly recording the CACJ’s decisions.
The 12th CACJ meeting was preceded by sideline events on 13 and 14 November 2025, jointly organised by the CACJ and the ASEAN Law Association, featuring specialized meetings for judges and practitioners.
- Insolvency Judges Session: This meeting addressed the economic and geopolitical impacts on insolvency and restructuring, explored challenges in judgment recognition across borders, and underscored the benefits of regional judicial communication.
- Intellectual Property (IP) Judges Session: The IP session examined the legal challenges posed by generative artificial intelligence to patent and copyright law, jurisdictional complexities in cross-border disputes, governance developments, and the role of alternative dispute resolution in managing these issues.
The adoption of the Model Framework and the Singapore-Philippines MOU reinforces the CACJ’s commitment to building a cohesive, transparent, and resilient judicial environment across the ASEAN region, ensuring justice can be delivered efficiently even as commerce and disputes increasingly cross national borders.
