Statute Details
- Title: Coroners (Remuneration of Assessors) Regulations 2010
- Act Code: CA2010-RG1
- Legislation Type: Subsidiary legislation (SL)
- Authorising Act: Coroners Act 2010 (notably sections 32 and 49, as reflected in the legislative materials)
- Citation: 1. These Regulations are the Coroners (Remuneration of Assessors) Regulations 2010.
- Current Version: 2025 Revised Edition (2 June 2025), current as at 27 March 2026
- Original Commencement: 2 January 2011 (as indicated by the legislative history/timeline)
- Regulation Structure: 7 regulations (including definitions and key procedural provisions)
- Key Provisions: Regulation 2 (Definitions); Regulation 3 (Remuneration rate and daily cap); Regulation 4 (Transport allowance); Regulation 5 (Time for submission of claims); Regulation 6 (Discretion to disallow unreasonable/unnecessarily incurred claims); Regulation 7 (Certification of remuneration)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Coroners (Remuneration of Assessors) Regulations 2010 set out the framework for paying assessors who are appointed to assist a Coroner during an inquiry. In practical terms, the Regulations answer a straightforward administrative question: how much should an assessor be paid, what additional allowances may be claimed, and what procedural steps must be followed to obtain payment.
Under the Coroners Act 2010, a Coroner may appoint an assessor to assist in the hearing of an inquiry. The Regulations then operationalise that appointment by prescribing remuneration rates for an assessor’s attendance in court and work done to assist the Coroner. They also address transport allowances for travel within Singapore and impose a claims timetable, together with a discretion for the authorising officer to disallow claims that are unreasonable or unnecessarily incurred.
Although the Regulations are relatively short, they are important for ensuring consistency and fairness in payments, reducing disputes about quantum, and providing a clear process for authorisation and certification. For practitioners—particularly those advising assessors, counsel involved in coronial proceedings, or administrative teams supporting coronial processes—the Regulations provide the legal “rules of the road” for remuneration claims.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. Definitions (Regulation 2)
The Regulations define the key terms that determine eligibility and scope of payment. An “assessor” is an assessor appointed under section 32 of the Coroners Act 2010 to assist a Coroner in the hearing of an inquiry. This matters because remuneration under the Regulations is tied to the formal appointment status under the Act, not merely to informal assistance.
The Regulations also define “attendance in court” as the attendance of the assessor with a Coroner in the hearing of an inquiry or at any pre-inquiry review. This is a practical expansion: it clarifies that remuneration is not limited to the final hearing day, but also covers attendance at pre-inquiry review sessions. Finally, the “authorising officer” is defined as the State Coroner or the Coroner hearing the inquiry for which the assessor was appointed. This definition is central to the claims and approval process.
2. Remuneration rate and daily cap (Regulation 3)
Regulation 3 is the core payment provision. It provides that an assessor is to be remunerated at $100 per hour or part of an hour for:
- the assessor’s attendance in court, and
- work done to assist the Coroner in connection with an inquiry.
This structure is significant in two ways. First, the rate applies to both time spent in court and work performed outside court but still connected to assisting the Coroner. Second, the phrase “per hour or part of an hour” indicates that partial hours are billable at the same rate as full hours, which may affect how time is recorded and claimed.
Regulation 3(1) also imposes a maximum of $700 per day. This daily cap operates as a ceiling regardless of the number of hours claimed in a day (including “part of an hour” increments). For practitioners, this means that even if an assessor undertakes substantial work in a day, the remuneration payable under the Regulations cannot exceed the daily maximum.
3. Transport allowance (Regulation 4)
In addition to the hourly remuneration, Regulation 4 allows a transport allowance. The allowance is described as a fixed sum for each day’s attendance in court, not exceeding $20, as the authorising officer thinks fit. It is for travel between the place where attendance is required and the assessor’s place of stay in Singapore.
Notably, the allowance is payable regardless of the mode of transport actually used and regardless of the actual expense or charge incurred. This is a “flat allowance” approach rather than reimbursement of receipts. For claimants, the practical implication is that they should not expect to recover amounts above the fixed allowance merely because actual travel costs were higher. For the authorising officer, the discretion “as … thinks fit” means the allowance may be set at a figure up to $20 per day, depending on the circumstances.
4. Time for submission of claims (Regulation 5)
Regulation 5 imposes a procedural deadline. An assessor must submit a claim for remuneration (including transport allowance) to the authorising officer in any form the authorising officer may require, no later than 2 months after accrual of the claim.
This provision is often where disputes arise. The key issues for practitioners are: (i) what constitutes “accrual of the claim” in a coronial context (for example, whether it accrues at the time of attendance, completion of work, or conclusion of the relevant inquiry stage), and (ii) ensuring compliance with the submission deadline. The Regulations do not define “accrual,” so parties should treat the deadline as strict and align internal processes to submit claims promptly after attendance and work are completed.
5. Discretion to disallow unreasonable or unnecessarily incurred claims (Regulation 6)
Regulation 6 provides the authorising officer with discretion to disallow any claim or part of a claim that, in the authorising officer’s view, is:
- unreasonable, or
- unnecessarily incurred.
This is a broad evaluative power. It means that even if an assessor submits a claim within time and calculates remuneration according to the rate, the authorising officer may still reduce or disallow amounts that are not justified. In practice, this may relate to time claimed (e.g., whether the hours claimed correspond to actual attendance or work done), or to transport allowance decisions (e.g., whether travel was necessary for the relevant attendance).
For counsel and assessors, the best risk-management approach is to maintain contemporaneous records of attendance and work performed, and to provide sufficient detail to support the claimed hours and any transport allowance basis.
6. Certification of remuneration (Regulation 7)
Once the authorising officer approves the remuneration to be paid, Regulation 7 requires the authorising officer to issue a certificate certifying the sum to be paid to the assessor. This certification requirement is important for administrative finality and auditability. It also signals that payment is not merely a matter of the assessor’s calculation; it depends on approval and certification by the authorising officer.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Regulations are structured as a short, self-contained instrument with seven regulations:
Regulation 1 sets out the citation.
Regulation 2 provides definitions (assessor, attendance in court, authorising officer).
Regulation 3 establishes the remuneration rate and daily cap, covering both court attendance and inquiry-related work.
Regulation 4 provides for a discretionary fixed transport allowance (up to $20 per day).
Regulation 5 imposes a two-month deadline for submitting claims.
Regulation 6 grants discretion to disallow unreasonable or unnecessarily incurred claims.
Regulation 7 requires certification of the approved remuneration amount.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Regulations apply to assessors appointed under section 32 of the Coroners Act 2010 to assist a Coroner in the hearing of an inquiry. The remuneration regime is therefore tied to formal appointment and to the coronial process.
They also apply to the authorising officer—the State Coroner or the Coroner hearing the inquiry—who determines transport allowance (within the cap), receives and evaluates claims, may disallow unreasonable or unnecessarily incurred amounts, and issues the certificate authorising payment.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Although the Regulations are limited in length, they have real operational impact on coronial proceedings. Assessors often contribute specialised expertise, and the Regulations ensure that there is a predictable and legally grounded method for compensating that contribution. The hourly rate and daily cap promote consistency, while the inclusion of “work done” and “pre-inquiry review” attendance recognises that coronial assistance is not confined to the courtroom hearing day.
From an enforcement and dispute-prevention perspective, the Regulations provide a clear claims process: assessors must submit claims within a defined timeframe, the authorising officer can scrutinise reasonableness and necessity, and payment is supported by a certificate. This reduces ambiguity and supports administrative accountability.
For practitioners, the most practical takeaways are procedural and evidential. First, ensure claims are submitted within two months of accrual. Second, maintain records that substantiate the time claimed (including “part of an hour” increments) and the nature of work done to assist the Coroner. Third, understand that transport allowance is a fixed discretionary allowance up to $20 per day and is not necessarily linked to actual travel costs. Finally, be aware that the authorising officer may disallow amounts deemed unreasonable or unnecessarily incurred, so claims should be prepared with justification rather than relying solely on the statutory rate.
Related Legislation
- Coroners Act 2010 (including provisions relating to the appointment of assessors and the authorising basis for these Regulations)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Coroners (Remuneration of Assessors) Regulations 2010 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.