Family and Matrimonial Matters

家庭与婚姻

As a commercial disputes lawyer with overlapping strengths in a broad range of corporate, commercial, financial and chancery disputes, Timothy Ng is well placed to advise and act for high net worth individuals in ancillary matters such as division of matrimonial assets and maintenance. These often involve multifaceted and complex disputes in the aftermath of the divorce. For instance, both spouses may also be fellow shareholders, directors of family companies or fellow trustees of various trusts and would require bespoke advice on entanglement and disengagement from the companies and/or trusts in addition to the marriage.

We understand that the process of divorce, dealing with ancillary matters and disputes with family members can be stressful and unpleasant for parties. Every case is unique and our lawyers are trained to appreciate and navigate both the legal and non-legal complexities and nuances in each case, to assist clients to achieve their desired outcomes effectively and with sensitivity.

We are able to advise and assist clients in both contentious and non-contentious matters including but not limited to the following:

A) Annulment, Divorce and Judicial Separation

Annulment: Where a marriage is annulled, parties are thereafter deemed to be single instead of divorced. In other words, in the eyes of the law, parties are deemed to have never been married. 

Divorce: When a couple is divorced, the marriage is legally terminated. Parties often have to deal with other divorce-related ancillary matters, e.g. custody, care and control of the children of the marriage, maintenance and division of matrimonial assets.

Judicial Separation: For various reasons, parties may wish to remain legally married to each other even though the marriage has broken down irretrievably. Where the Court grants a judgment of judicial separation, the parties are legally separated but not divorced – they do not have to live together but cannot legally marry another person. In a judicial separation, parties may seek Court orders in respect of ancillary matters similar to those in a divorce.

B) Spousal Maintenance and Division of Assets

We have helped clients based in Singapore and overseas to handle matrimonial disputes involving assets worth up to a hundred million dollars. Our experience in shareholders’ disputes and trust matters bolsters our capabilities in handling complex disputes where the relationships between parties extend beyond familial ties and into the corporate/ business spheres.

C) Matters relating to Children

– Custody, care and control, and access to children
– Maintenance of children
– Relocation of children
– Protection Orders
– Adoption
– Guardianship

D) Maintenance of Parents

Parents may in certain circumstances obtain a Court order to compel their children to pay for their maintenance. We are able to provide legal advice on the law in this area and assist clients in drafting the relevant documents for proceedings under the Maintenance of Parents Act (Cap. 167B).

E) Personal Protection and Domestic Exclusion Orders

Personal Protection Orders (“PPO”): A court order restraining the person against whom the order is made from using family violence against a family member

Domestic Exclusion Order (“DEO”): A court order granting a protected person exclusive occupation of a shared residence or a specified part thereof to the exclusion of the person against whom the order is made.

F) Matters under the Mental Capacity Act (Cap. 177A)

– Lasting Power of Attorney
– Appointment of Deputies
– Breaches of any provision in the Mental Capacity Act

G) Mediation and Settlement Agreements

Many disputes can be resolved without going through a long-drawn court process. Parties are at liberty to settle disputes amicably at any time, through other forms of dispute resolution such as negotiation and mediation. It is often helpful to be assisted by lawyers even for out-of-court settlements, to ensure that your rights are protected and that settlement agreements are drafted properly. 

H) Pre-Nuptial / Post-Nuptial Agreements

Couples may wish to put in writing agreements to provide for various matters in the event of a divorce or separation. This may be done before or after a couple is married. We are able to advise and assist in drafting such agreements to ensure that the agreements reflect parties’ intentions and comply with Singapore law.

I) Is there an existing Court order for your matter?

Parties may apply to Court to vary, suspend, rescind or revoke existing Court orders on grounds such as material change in circumstances. We have successfully represented a client based in Indonesia in rescinding an order made by the Singapore Courts for maintenance of his ex-wife.

J) Wills and Probate Disputes

We have acted for clients in both contentious and non-contentious matters in relation to wills and probate. Read more here. 

_________________________________________________________________________

身为一位在范围很广的企业、商业、金融和大法官纠纷有重叠优势的商业纠纷律师，伍伟强完全有能力在婚姻财产分割与赡养费等附带事宜中建议和代表高净值人士。这些附带事宜通常涉及离婚之后会有的多层面、复杂纠纷，例如：配偶双方或许同为家族企业的股东或董事，又或者是同为各种信托的受托人。若是如此，他们将需要为他们量身定制的除了婚姻之外，关于与公司及/或信托的纠葛与分离的建议。

我们能理解整个离婚过程（包括处理附带事项和与家人产生的纠纷）会对有关各方造成压力与不愉快。每个法案都有各自的独特之处，而我们的律师能应付不同个案中法律与非法律的复杂事宜和细微之处，以此有效、敏感的协助您获取理想成果。

我们能够在争议与非诉讼事项中协助并给予客户有关法律质询，这些事项包括但不限于：

A) 撤销、离婚和司法分局

撤销：婚姻撤销后，有关各方身份自此在法律上被视为单身，而非离婚状态。换言之，各方在法律上将自始自中保持未婚状态。

离婚：离婚程序成功后，婚姻在法律上已视为无效。有关各方经常需处理与离婚相关的附带事项，如婚生子女的监护、照顾与管制，以及婚姻资产的维护与分配。

司法分局：由于各种原因，即便婚姻已破裂至无可挽救的地步，双方可能希望能够维持已婚身份。法庭通过司法分局的判决后，各方将被视为合法分局，不须居住在一起但也不能与他人合法结婚。与离婚案相同的是，已接受司法分局的双方可向法庭提出有关附带事项的诉讼。

B) 配偶抚养与资产分配

我们曾为来自新加坡与国外的客户处理涉及价资产值一亿新币的婚姻争议。再者，即使有关各方的关系从亲情延伸至商业领域，我们有处理股东争议与信托事项的经验，因此有信心处理复杂的争议程序。

C) 牵涉儿童的事项

– 儿童监护、照顾、管制和探望
– 儿童抚养
– 儿童迁址
– 保护令
– 领养
–  监护

D) 父母抚养

在某些情况下，家长可能会申请庭令，迫使儿女付他们抚养费。我们在这方面有能力提供法律咨询，并为您起草在167B章之父母抚养法案下的诉讼相关文件。

E) 个人安全保护令和临时驱出家庭令

个人安全保护令（PPO）：法院对实施家暴者所施加的法令

临时驱出家庭令（DEO）：通过驱逐他人，给予一人整个共居住宅或其某一部分的专属居住权利的法令

F) 177A章之精神能力行为法案下的事项

– 持久授权书
– 副手委任
– 违反精神能力行为法案之下任何一条规定的行为

G) 调解和解决协议

许多争议其实不须通过漫长的法院程序才能获得解决，其他争议解决方法包括谈判和调解。故此，有关各方随时可自由选择以友好的方式解决任何争议。在这种情况下，即便解决协议发生于法庭之外，我们的律师可帮您守护权利，同时也可确保正确的解决协议起草。

H) 婚前和婚后协议

无论婚前或婚后，伴侣可能会希望，以协议的形式记录下离婚或分离后的各种事项处置。我们能为客户提供有关法律咨询，协助他们起草此类协议。同时，我们能确保该协议反映和符合了有关各方的意愿，并也遵守新加坡法律规条。

I) 您目前是否接受法令限制？

在情状变异等因素的因由下，有关各方可向法院申请更改、暂媛、撤销或撤回现有法令。我们曾代表一名印度尼西亚客户，成功使新加坡法庭撤回一项有关其前妻抚养的法令。

J) 遗嘱与有关纠纷

无论是有关遗嘱的争议或非争议事项，我们都有代表客户的经验。请点击这里以获得更多详情。