Han Teck Soo v Teo Ooi Leng: Appeal Against Ancillary Orders in Divorce Case
In the High Court of Singapore, Judicial Commissioner Choo Han Teck heard an appeal by Han Teck Soo against ancillary orders made on 8 February 2001, in a divorce case with Teo Ooi Leng, Irene. The primary issues concerned the division of matrimonial assets, specifically a flat purchased jointly, and custody arrangements for their three children. The court dismissed the appeal, varying the orders only to fix the tuition fees for the eldest child at $100.
1. Case Overview
1.1 Court
High Court1.2 Outcome
Appeal dismissed with a minor variation to the tuition fee order.
1.3 Case Type
Family
1.4 Judgment Type
Grounds of Decision
1.5 Jurisdiction
Singapore
1.6 Description
Appeal by husband against ancillary orders in divorce case. The court varied the orders to fix tuition fees for the eldest child.
1.7 Decision Date
2. Parties and Outcomes
| Party Name | Role | Type | Outcome | Outcome Type | Counsels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Han Teck Soo | Appellant, Respondent | Individual | Appeal dismissed with a minor variation to the tuition fee order. | Lost | |
| Teo Ooi Leng, Irene | Respondent, Petitioner | Individual | Orders of 8 February 2001 were varied to fix the tuition fees for the eldest child at $100. | Won |
3. Judges
| Judge Name | Title | Delivered Judgment |
|---|---|---|
| Choo Han Teck | Judicial Commissioner | Yes |
4. Counsels
| Counsel Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Seenivasan Lalita | Virginia Quek Lalita & Partners |
| Foo Siew Fong | Harry Elias Partnership |
4. Facts
- The respondent and petitioner married on 17 August 1985.
- They have three children, aged 11, 6, and 3.
- The eldest child is dyslexic and requires special attention.
- The petitioner earns a net salary of $2,242 a month.
- The respondent earns about $1,839 a month and has a car allowance of $800.
- The parties purchased two flats prior to the one they bought on 1 January 1998 in joint names.
- The petitioner contributed 19% of the purchase price of the flat, and the respondent contributed 81%.
5. Formal Citations
- Han Teck Soo v Teo Ooi Leng, Irene, D 3535/1999, RAS 720008/2001, [2001] SGHC 152
6. Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Parties married | |
| Parties bought a flat in joint names | |
| Judge made ancillary orders | |
| Appeal decision date |
7. Legal Issues
- Division of Matrimonial Assets
- Outcome: The court ordered that the flat be transferred to the petitioner upon her reimbursing the respondent's CPF.
- Category: Substantive
- Child Custody
- Outcome: The court granted sole custody of the children to the petitioner, with the direction that she consults the respondent in respect of religion and formal education concerning the children.
- Category: Substantive
- Child Maintenance
- Outcome: The court fixed the tuition fees for the eldest child at $100.
- Category: Substantive
8. Remedies Sought
- Share in the proceeds of the flat
- Joint custody of the children
- Disturbance of the maintenance order
9. Cause of Actions
- No cause of actions
10. Practice Areas
- Family Law
- Divorce
- Child Custody
- Division of Matrimonial Assets
11. Industries
- No industries specified
12. Cited Cases
| Case Name | Court | Affirmed | Citation | Jurisdiction | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No cited cases | |||||
13. Applicable Rules
| Rule Name |
|---|
| No applicable rules |
14. Applicable Statutes
| Statute Name | Jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| No applicable statutes | |
15. Key Terms and Keywords
15.1 Key Terms
- Ancillary orders
- Matrimonial assets
- Child custody
- Maintenance order
- Dyslexic child
- CPF reimbursement
15.2 Keywords
- divorce
- ancillary orders
- child custody
- matrimonial assets
- Singapore
- family law
17. Areas of Law
| Area Name | Relevance Score |
|---|---|
| Family Law | 90 |
| Matrimonial Assets | 80 |
| Maintenance | 75 |
| Child Custody | 70 |
| Child Support | 70 |
16. Subjects
- Family Law
- Divorce
- Child Custody
- Matrimonial Assets