ARTICLES
When Does Discipline Become Child Abuse?
Corporal punishment may have once been a common mode of discipline across households in Singapore, but it is increasingly being frowned upon, especially as the leakage of such acts on social media has triggered waves of public outrage. The law supports the authority of a parent to inflict reasonable discipline on his or her child,… ...
FAQs: Adoption in Singapore
What is adoption? Adoption is a legal process where parental rights over a child are conferred to the applicants. The relationship between the biological parents and their child is severed and replaced with a legitimate relationship between the applicant(s) and the child. In Singapore, the process is governed by the Adoption of Children Act (ACA).… ...
How do I Prove Adultery for Divorce Purposes?
High Threshold of Proof In Singapore, one of the ways to get a divorce is to prove that “your spouse has committed adultery and you find it intolerable to live with him or her.” Adultery is committed when a person engages in sexual intercourse (which refers to penetration) with someone other than his/her spouse. The… ...
Postnuptial Agreements – Verbal Agreements Between Spouses
Essentially, postnuptial agreements are agreements entered into by married couples to determine issues upon divorce such as the division of matrimonial assets, maintenance and child-related issues. There 3 key points to note: Whether postnuptial agreements are enforceable Whether it makes a difference if the agreement was made verbally Whether the attempt to reconcile affects the… ...
Appropriate Adult Schemes in Singapore
There are two types of Appropriate Adult Schemes in Singapore: Appropriate Adult Scheme for suspects with intellectual disabilities Appropriate Adult Scheme for young suspects under 16 years old Who is this for? As outlined above, there are currently two schemes. One of the schemes are intended for suspects with intellectual disabilities – such as people… ...
Tips for instituting Child Abduction Proceedings under the Hague Convention
A Hague Convention application may be made where a child is taken across an international border, away from his or her habitual place of residence, without the consent of the other parent who has rights of custody under the law in Singapore. The two countries must be parties to the Convention. Upon successful application, the child… ...
Implications of Annulment
Unlike a divorce, an annulment results in the marriage being treated as not having existed. As a result, some of the subsequent effects of an annulment differ from that of a divorce. This may be particularly so with regards to status of children, maintenance payments and property. Status of children The primary issue concerns the… ...
Variation of Parenting Orders (Custody, Care and Control & Access)
At the end of the second stage of your divorce proceedings dealing with ancillary matters, the Judge has likely made a decision on various issues pertaining to your child. This includes orders regarding: Custody: which parent gets to make major life decisions for the child in areas such as education, healthcare, and religion? Care and… ...
Can an Executor of a Will Be Forced to Execute the Will by a Judge?
Gloria James-Civetta & Co Estate Lawyers A judge can remove an executor if he does not perform his duties or the beneficiaries propose a good case to remove him. However, the judge cannot force a named executor to oversee the probate of the will. Express Renunciation by Executor If you are appointed as an executor… ...