Divorce can be intimidating, and if you don’t know what to do, you may bump into some issues along the way. I knew I wanted to file for a divorce, and luckily, my now ex-wife felt the same way, so our divorce process was smoother than most. Still, I had no idea where to begin until I hired a divorce lawyer who guided me through the two stages of an uncontested divorce in Singapore. Here’s everything you need to know about those two stages to have a smoother divorce.
Dissolution of Marriage
In Singapore, the divorce process starts by submitting some required documents to the Family Justice Courts. Either spouse can submit these documents. Since I asked for the divorce, I took it upon myself to fill them out and present them with the help of a divorce lawyer. The lawyer ensured that my papers complied with the court’s requirements. The documents required for divorce include the following:
- A writ for divorce. This writ is the document required to begin the divorce process officially. Since I was the one filing for the divorce, I would be the one to file the writ.
- A statement of claim. This document includes the context of your marriage so that the court knows the whole story. It may consist of the applicable grounds for divorce in Singapore. In addition, a statement of particulars can delve into the points made in the statement of claim.
- A proposed parenting plan. If the couple has any children, this document will detail the parents’ plan for raising the children in the future.
- A proposed matrimonial property plan. This document is only required in a Singapore divorce process if the couple has an HDB flat. Since my ex-wife and I bought our own house, we didn’t have to include this in our papers.
After these documents have all been filed, the court will serve them to the other spouse, and they will have eight days to decide whether to contest the divorce or the proposed ancillary matters. My documents were served to my ex-wife, who didn’t want to contest the divorce.
Ancillary Matters
Whether or not the other spouse agrees with your proposed ancillary matters, an Ancillary Matters Case Conference will still be held to finalise everything during the Singapore divorce process. When deciding on ancillary matters, the spouses will have to decide on how all the assets will be divided and custody plans for any children.
In our case, we had one child under 21 years old, so we still had to think about custody and visitation rights. Luckily, we both agreed on many aspects of custody, so it didn’t take long to settle into an agreement: that we would have joint custody and the right to see our child equally. After that, filing for divorce became smooth sailing.
Do you need a divorce lawyer to help you through the divorce process? Aspect Law Chambers is a law firm specialising in many branches of law, including family law. Their experienced lawyers can guide you through both contested and uncontested divorce processes. You can enquire about how much a divorce in Singapore will cost by contacting Aspect Law Chambers through their website today.
