Frequently Asked Questions

The Family Division of the High Court will hear cases of first instance and appeals from the Family Courts and the Youth Courts. Special attention could be useful in some judgments where the High Court gives guidance to the Courts below; such appeals may be heard by three Judges.

The "Family Justice Courts" is the collective name for a body of courts which comprise the Family Division of the High Court, the Family Courts and the Youth Courts. These Courts are administered by the Presiding Judge of the Family Justice Courts.
The Family Justice Courts will hear the full suite of family-related cases including all divorce and related matters, family violence cases, adoption and guardianship cases, Youth Court cases, applications for deputyship under the Mental Capacity Act, and, probate and succession.
There is a centralised registry to receive, assign and manage the entire suite of family justice cases that come before the court. There are also Registrars who will assist the different judges with their cases. Court users will experience greater convenience and consistency in the management of their cases. Ancillary services, such as mediation and counselling, will be streamlined throughout the various Courts.

The Family Justice Courts will deal with matters filed pursuant to the following legislation:

• Section 53 of the Administration of Muslim Law Act (Cap. 3);
• The Adoption of Children Act (Cap. 4);
• The Guardianship of Infants Act (Cap. 122);
• The Inheritance (Family Provision) Act (Cap. 138);
• The International Child Abduction Act (Cap. 143C);
• The Intestate Succession Act (Cap. 146);
• The Legitimacy Act (Cap. 162);
• Section 10 of the Maintenance of Parents Act (Cap. 167B);
• The Maintenance Orders (Facilities for Enforcement) Act (Cap. 168);
• The Maintenance Orders (Reciprocal Enforcement) Act (Cap. 169);
• The Mental Capacity Act (Cap. 177A);
• The Mental Health (Care and Treatment) Act (Cap. 178A);
• The Status of Children (Assisted Reproduction Technology) Act 2013 (Act 16 of 2013); Section 17A(2) of the Supreme Court of Judicature Act (Cap. 322);
• The Voluntary Sterilization Act (Cap. 347);
• The Women's Charter (Cap. 353)
• The Probate and Administration Act (Cap. 251).

Parties may apply for cases to be transferred to the Family Division of the High Court where there are complex issues or where High Court jurisdiction is required for enforcement purposes.

The Family Justice Courts are a restructure of our court system to better serve litigants. By bringing together all family-related work under a specialized body of courts, we would be able to frame disputes from the perspective of families and the individuals within. This is in contrast to other types of cases which are traditionally dealt with in an adversarial manner. In addition, we would be able to provide a suite of family-specific services, enhance processes and identify relevant training programmes that develop family-specific skills in judges, lawyers and other family practitioners.

The Family Justice Courts are established pursuant to the Family Justice Act which was passed by Parliament on 4 August 2014. The Family Justice Act was enacted based on the recommendations of the Committee for Family Justice which was formed in 2013 to review how Singapore's family justice system may be reformed to address the needs of youth and families in distress.