Judy Ang
Managing Partner
Client reviews Matrimonial and Family Law
Divorce and family lawyers in Singapore
A divorce settles where your children will live, how you will provide for them and how everything you built together is divided. We explain each step plainly and take your case through mediation or court, whichever it needs.
General information on divorce in Singapore — not legal advice. For guidance on your own circumstances, speak with one of our lawyers.
Why JS Law Chambers
How we handle a divorce
Your case is handled by a partner
JS Law Chambers is a two-partner firm. Judy Ang and Lim Shu Fen both practise family and matrimonial law, and the partner you meet is the one who works on your case.
Experience in the Court of Appeal
Between them, the partners have acted in Court of Appeal cases on how matrimonial assets are divided, including whether a lottery win is a matrimonial asset, and in the High Court on starting a divorce within three years of marriage.
They helped write the practice notes
Both partners are authors of the LexisNexis Singapore Family Law Practice Guidance notes, covering the divorce process and maintenance applications.
Mediation as well as court
Judy is an Associate Mediator of the Singapore Mediation Centre. Where a settlement serves you better than a hearing, we work towards one.
Cross-border families
Judy is also admitted in New York and acts in cross-border matters and applications under the International Child Abduction Act.
What we handle
Our divorce & family law services
From an agreed divorce to a contested hearing or an appeal, and the arrangements for children and finances that follow.
- Divorce, contested and uncontested
- Divorce within three years of marriage
- Division of matrimonial assets
- Spousal and child maintenance
- Custody, care and control, and access
- Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements
- International child abduction and relocation
- Guardianship and adoption
- Mediation
- Appeals
The process
Understanding divorce in Singapore
A divorce can feel overwhelming, and knowing how the process works is a good first step. In Singapore, divorces for non-Muslim marriages are governed by the Women's Charter and handled by the Family Justice Courts.
Before you can file
The 3-year marriage rule
You must generally have been married for at least three years before you can file for divorce. The court may allow an earlier filing only where you have suffered exceptional hardship or your spouse has shown exceptional depravity, and such applications are rare.
A connection to Singapore
At least one spouse must have a real connection with Singapore, for example by being domiciled here when the divorce is filed, or by having lived here for a continuous period of at least three years before filing.
The legal ground for divorce
Under Singapore law there is only one ground for divorce: that the marriage has broken down irretrievably. To show this, you rely on one or more of the following six facts.
01
Unreasonable behaviour
Your spouse has behaved in a way that means you cannot reasonably be expected to keep living with them.
02
Adultery
Your spouse has committed adultery and you find it intolerable to live with them. Strict time limits apply once you find out, so it is worth taking advice early.
03
Separation for 3 years, with consent
You have lived apart for at least three years and your spouse consents to the divorce. Couples can be living apart even under the same roof if they lead separate lives.
04
Separation for 4 years
You have lived apart for at least four years. Your spouse's consent is not needed.
05
Desertion
Your spouse has deserted you for a continuous period of at least two years, with no intention of returning.
06
Divorce by Mutual Agreement
Since 1 July 2024, couples can divorce without either one blaming the other. Their written agreement explains why the marriage has broken down, what they have done to try to reconcile, and how they have considered arrangements for the children and their finances. The court must refuse it if reconciliation is reasonably possible.
Mandatory Co-Parenting Programme
If you have a child under 21, both parents are required to complete the Co-Parenting Programme as part of the divorce, whichever route it takes. It combines online learning with a session with a counsellor, and helps parents understand how divorce affects children and plan child-focused arrangements. A Certificate of Completion is filed with the court.
Uncontested or contested?
Uncontested divorce
Both spouses agree, not only that the marriage has broken down, but on all the ancillary matters too: the arrangements for the children, maintenance, and the division of assets, including the home. These cases can usually go on the simplified track, which tends to be quicker and less costly.
Contested divorce
Where spouses cannot agree on the divorce or on one or more of the ancillary matters, the court manages the case through conferences and mediation and, if needed, decides the issues at a hearing. Spouses can still settle along the way, and a case that settles can then proceed as uncontested.
The two stages of a divorce
Stage 1
Ending the marriage
The court decides whether the marriage has broken down irretrievably. If it is satisfied, it grants an Interim Judgment. This does not yet end the marriage in law.
Stage 2
Ancillary matters
The court then deals with the practical consequences: the children, maintenance, and the division of assets. Once these are agreed or decided, and at least three months have passed since the Interim Judgment, the Final Judgment can be obtained. Only then is the marriage dissolved and either spouse free to remarry.
What's decided in ancillary matters
01
Division of matrimonial assets
Matrimonial assets usually include the matrimonial home, CPF savings, bank savings, investments and cars built up during the marriage. Gifts and inheritances are usually excluded unless they became the matrimonial home or were substantially improved. The court divides the pool in a just and equitable way, weighing direct financial contributions alongside indirect ones such as homemaking and caring for children. The result is not automatically half each.
02
Custody, care and control, and access
The child's welfare is the court's paramount concern. Custody covers major decisions such as education, religion and healthcare, and joint custody is the usual order. Care and control, meaning who the child lives with day to day, is usually given to one parent, with access for the other.
03
Maintenance
Both parents have a duty to maintain their children, usually until 21, and longer in some cases, such as where the child is still studying, serving national service or has a disability. Spousal maintenance is not automatic: the court looks at each spouse's income, earning capacity, needs and the standard of living during the marriage, among other factors.
What affects how long a divorce takes?
Every divorce must wait at least three months between the Interim Judgment and the Final Judgment, and the Final Judgment cannot be obtained until the ancillary matters are settled. Beyond that, the biggest factor is agreement. Couples who agree on the divorce and every ancillary matter can usually use the simplified track. Where issues are disputed, the case passes through further steps, such as exchanging financial disclosure, mediation and hearings, and these add time. Issues settled along the way, through negotiation or mediation, can shorten the process.
Mediation & a settlement-first mindset
Many family disputes are best resolved through agreement, especially where children are involved. Divorcing parents with a child under 21 are required to attend mediation and counselling at the Family Justice Courts, and the court can direct other couples to mediation or counselling too. Couples can also choose private mediation or collaborative practice. Mediation keeps decisions in the spouses' hands, tends to reduce conflict, and can save time, cost and stress, and any agreement reached can be recorded as a court order.
Fees
Divorce fees
We explain how your matter will be charged before any work begins, so you know what to expect at each stage.
Uncontested divorce
You and your spouse agree on the divorce and the arrangements that follow.
To be confirmed
Contested divorce
One or more issues are disputed and need negotiation, mediation or hearings.
Quoted after review
Nuptial agreements
Advice on, and drafting of, a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement.
To be confirmed
Every engagement includes
- Advice on where you stand and the options open to you
- Preparation of the court documents
- Representation in mediation and in court
- Updates at each stage, from the partner handling your case
We'll give you a clear figure at your consultation before you commit to anything.
Where to start
If you are thinking about a divorce and are not sure where to begin, tell us a little about your situation. We will explain the process, the decisions ahead and how fees would work, so you can decide whether and how to proceed.
Your lawyers
Who you'll work with
Both partners practise family and matrimonial law.
Lim Shu Fen
Partner
Client reviews FAQ
Divorce in Singapore, answered
How does a divorce work in Singapore?
A divorce has two main stages. The court first grants an interim judgment if it accepts the marriage has broken down irretrievably, then deals with the children, maintenance and assets; final judgment, which ends the marriage, comes at least three months after interim judgment and once those matters are settled.
Read the full guideCan I divorce within three years of marriage?
Generally, no: a divorce cannot be filed until the marriage has lasted three years. The court may allow an earlier filing where the spouse applying has suffered exceptional hardship or the other spouse has shown exceptional depravity, but the bar is high, and judicial separation or a deed of separation may be options in the meantime.
Read the full guideHow are matrimonial assets divided in a Singapore divorce?
The court divides matrimonial assets in the proportions it considers just and equitable, which is not automatically half each. It weighs each spouse's financial contributions together with contributions such as homemaking and caring for children, and gifts or inheritances are usually excluded unless used as the family home or substantially improved during the marriage.
Read the full guideWho has to pay maintenance after a divorce in Singapore?
Both parents must maintain their children, usually until 21, whoever the children live with. A former spouse may also be ordered to pay maintenance after the court considers each side's needs, means and the history of the marriage, and orders can later be varied if circumstances change materially.
Read the full guideWhat is the difference between custody, care and control, and access?
Custody covers major decisions such as education, religion and healthcare, and is usually shared jointly. Care and control decides who the child lives with day to day, and access is the time the child spends with the other parent; in every case the court's paramount concern is the child's welfare.
Read the full guideAre prenuptial agreements enforceable in Singapore?
Not automatically. The court is not bound by a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement, but it can give the agreement significant weight, especially on dividing assets, if it was made freely, with full disclosure and independent advice, and its terms are fair; terms about children receive the closest scrutiny.
Read the full guideCan I move overseas with my child after a divorce?
Usually only with the other parent's consent or the court's permission. The court decides relocation applications on the child's welfare, weighing the reasons and plans for the move against the effect on the child's relationship with the parent left behind; taking a child abroad without consent can lead to return proceedings under the Hague Convention.
Read the full guideDo we have to go to mediation in a Singapore divorce?
If you have a child under 21, you will be required to attend mediation and counselling at the Family Justice Courts, and the court can direct other couples to mediation too. Many couples also choose private mediation or collaborative practice, and any agreement reached can be recorded as a court order.
Read the full guideStill have a question? Ask us directly.
Have questions?
Send us a quick note below and let's figure things out together.