Filing For Divorce In Singapore: Things You Should Know

By Helen Marquez


A petition for divorce is filed to dissolve the marriage and settle issues between parties in court. The court proceedings would be easier if the marriage is relatively short, there are no children, and no properties or debts to be distributed to parties involved. In addition, the entire process would be a lot simple if both parties would agree to sign the petition and go on with their lives without feeling hostile toward each other. Parties should remember that the purpose of divorce is to lessen the possibility of creating chaos and acrimony between partners when the marriage breaks apart.

The person who filed the petition for divorce is called the plaintiff and the other party the defendant. Singaporean courts require the plaintiff to submit the Writ of Divorce, the Statement of Claims, and Statement of Particulars through the electronic filing system. If there are children, a Parenting Plan should also be submitted.

The statement of Claims provides the reason why the plaintiff is filing the petition. This include adultery, intolerable behavior, physical abuse and other grounds for divorce. The statement of Particulars, on the other hand, provides details that support the claim(s).

It's worth mentioning though that adjudication isn't the only way to settle divorce issues. The Family Court at the Family Resolution Chambers can set schedules for negotiations between parties and get their desired results with the help of a mediator or a Resolution judge. Mediation is called by divorce lawyers as Resolution Conference.

Choosing this option helps save both time and money. Through this, parties arrive at a solution where both of their needs including their children's needs are met.

There are cases though wherein there's no other way for both parties but to settle this matter through legal proceedings and seek the help of divorce lawyers singapore residents consider credible. This is especially true with complicated marriages where the parties involved own a business or the defendant is charged with a criminal offense. In this case, they may seek the help not only of lawyers for divorce but also of criminal lawyers Singapore residents would approach should they find themselves needing the services of these professionals.




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