The Women’s Charter governs the law of marriage and divorce, and recent amendments have attempted to make these processes more convenient and efficient. These measures include the following: Stronger protection measures for maintenance orders An amendment to Section 71 of the Women’s Charter allows the courts to use a banker’s guarantee, in the event of…...

When you decide to divorce a narcissistic spouse, you may feel relief at finally being able to distance yourself from their toxic behavior. But the situation is more complicated when you have children. Divorce can set you free from your spouse’s destructive influence–but what about your kids? There’s good reason for concern: having a narcissistic…...

Why you should apply for a Lasting Power of Attorney? Unless you already have a Power of Attorney, your loved ones will need to apply for an order under the Mental Capacity Act through the Family Court of Singapore to become “deputy”, which can be a long and costly process. A Lasting Power of Attorney…...

Divorces between financially sophisticated spouses often involves judges and lawyers encountering trusts issues when the topics of maintenance and the division of matrimonial assets arise. In turn, this has led to the coexistence of family law and trust law. A trust arises where one holds property on another’s behalf. The person holding the property on…...

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When is a person guilty of using “criminal force”? Criminal force under Section 350 is a charge that is taken very seriously in Singapore. This is especially when criminal force is used in furtherance of sexual crimes such as outrage of modesty or in cases of wrongful confinement as well as cases which deter a…...

I’m not a parent. Can the court still force me to pay for a child’s maintenance? Yes. The court may make you liable for the maintenance of someone else’s child if the child has been accepted as a member of your family, and if the father or mother of the child fails to maintain him/her.…...

This blog post will first lay out the general elements of theft under Section 378 of the Penal Code. It will then focus on shoplifting and will examine and explain the benefits of community based sentences instead of custodial sentences (imprisonment). When is a person punished under Section 378 for theft? Theft under Section 378…...

Does the law recognize agreements I entered into with my other spouse? The law recognizes marital agreements, as there is nothing wrong in parties, who are about to be married or are seriously contemplating marriage, agreeing on various matters that are to take place after marriage. However, a marital agreement is unlawful if it negates…...

Does my soon to be ex-spouse retain (i.e donor spouse) all the gifts he has given me or will they be subjected to the laws on division of matrimonial assets? There are 2 types of gifts spouses give each other during the marriage. Types of gifts Explanation Explanation Inter-spousal re-gift An item acquired by the…...