Clifford Chance

Singapore High Court confirms it has the inherent power to seal court files to preserve confidentiality in related arbitration proceedings

27 September 2016

A Singapore High Court judge has ruled, in BBW v BBX and others [2016] SGHC 190, that Singapore courts have the inherent power to grant orders to seal court files in the interests of preserving the confidentiality of related arbitration proceedings.

The decision clarifies the legal basis for sealing orders, as well as the scope of section 23 of the International Arbitration Act (IAA), which grants the Court a statutory power to make directions on the publication of information relating to "proceedings under the [IAA]".

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