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| 1.
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Who can apply for maintenance?
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Under section 69 of the Women's Charter, you can apply for maintenance
for your child from the other parent, if he or she neglects or refuses to provide your child with reasonable maintenance;
for yourself from your husband, if you are a married woman whose husband neglects or refuses to provide you with reasonable maintenance;
for yourself from your parent, if you are over 21 and you are still a full-time NSman or student.
For further information on how to apply for maintenance under section 69 of the Women's Charter, please refer to the Maintenance page in the Procedures and Processes section of this website.
The Court can also make maintenance orders for a wife and children in pending divorce proceedings under Part X of the Women's Charter, or as part of final orders in the ancillary matters in divorce proceedings under Part X of the Women's Charter.
For further information on divorce procedure, please see the Divorce page in the Processes and Procedures section of this website.
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| 2.
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What are the legal requirements for a divorce?
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You will be granted a divorce only if a Judge of the Family Court agrees that your marriage has ended. In legal language, the Judge must find that your marriage has irretrievably broken down. This is set out at section 95 of the Women's Charter.
To prove that your marriage has ended, you must show the Court that one or more of the following facts is true:
that your spouse has committed adultery, and you find it intolerable to live with him or her
that your spouse has behaved in such a way that you cannot reasonably be expected to live with him or her
that your spouse has deserted you for at least two years
if your spouse agrees to the divorce, that you and your spouse have been separated for at least three years
if your spouse does not agree to the divorce, that you and your spouse have been separated for at least four years.
These requirements are set out at section 95(3) of the Women's Charter.
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| 3.
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How do I apply for a divorce?
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| 4.
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When can I remarry?
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You can only remarry after you have obtained Final Judgment-also known as a Certificate of Making Interim Judgment Final (Form 26).
You must wait until the Court has dealt with all the ancillary matters in your divorce, or for three months, whichever is later, before you can apply for the Certificate of Making Interim Judgment Final.
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| 5.
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Can the Family Court or its staff give me a list of recommended lawyers?
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No. A directory of qualified lawyers and law firms is maintained by the Law Society of Singapore. If you do not have enough money for a lawyer, you may apply for legal aid at the Legal Aid Bureau. Please note that you must pass the Bureau's means and merits tests before a legal aid lawyer is assigned to you. The Family Court will not be able to tell you whether you qualify for legal aid.
If you simply need some general legal advice, and earn a nett monthly salary of S$1,050 or less, you may make an appointment at the weekly Legal Clinic, which runs on the second and fourth Wednesdays of every month (except on public holidays or on the eves of public holidays) from 4:00 to 6:00pm at the Family and Juvenile Court Building at 3 Havelock Square, Singapore 059725.
If you are a Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident, you may wish to register via e-mail for an appointment at one of the Community Legal Clinics run by the Pro Bono Services Office of the Law Society of Singapore. Alternatively, you may visit the Pro Bono Services Office at Level 5, Subordinate Courts Building, 1 Havelock Square, Singapore 059724, Tel: 65360650.
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