For maintenance (MSS) cases, a Warrant of Arrest (WA) may be issued against you (Respondent) when you fail to attend Court. A WA may also be issued against you for failing to show payment of maintenance arrears as directed in the Court Order.
For family violence (SS) cases, a Warrant of
Arrest may also be issued against you (Respondent) when you fail to attend Court. When the
case has been fixed for hearing, the Court may, under certain circumstances,
proceed in your absence if satisfied that the Summons has been duly served on
you.
The Warrant will be handed over
to the Warrant Enforcement Unit (WEU) of the Singapore Police Force for
execution. The police will either arrest you or you may be asked to surrender
yourself at the Warrant Enforcement Unit for the warrant to be executed. The website link to SPF WEU contact is https://owaes.police.gov.sg/Help
As a condition of the Warrant of
Arrest, bail will be offered upon arrest.
- If no bail is offered, you will be brought to
Court within 48 hours of your arrest
- If bail is offered, you will be asked to find a
bailor before you are released to attend Court on a specified date. If you are
unable to find a bailor, you will be brought to Court within 48 hours of your
arrest.
What happens when I am
arrested?
Once the warrant is executed and
you are brought before the Court, the Court may ask you to explain your absence
in Court on the previous Court date. The Court will also deal with the
complaint filed against you in the presence of the Complainant
Notice to Surety
If you are on bail and again
failed to attend Court, the bail amount will be forfeited and a fresh Warrant
will be issued with either a higher bail amount or no bail. A Notice to Surety
to Show Cause will be issued to your surety and a Court date will be fixed for
the surety to address the Court as to why the full amount of the bail should
not be forfeited. Your surety may have the bail money forfeited by the Court
either partially or fully if the surety fails to give a satisfactory
explanation for your absence from Court. There will be further consequences if
the surety is unable to make full payment.
Permission to Leave Singapore
If you need to leave jurisdiction
while on bail, you must make an application for permission via iFAMS with your surety
present in court who must give his/her consent. The court will consider your
application and inform you of the outcome.