Yap Bee Har v Chan Tai Hock Philip: Division of Matrimonial Assets & Home
In divorce proceedings between Yap Bee Har and Chan Tai Hock Philip, the High Court of Singapore heard an appeal regarding the division of matrimonial assets, specifically the matrimonial home and other savings. The District Judge had previously granted custody, care, and control of the two children to the wife and ordered a 55:45 division of the matrimonial flat in favor of the wife. The husband appealed this division and sought a share of the wife's personal savings. Prakash J. allowed the appeal in part, ordering the wife to pay the husband $11,096 remaining from his share of the Normanton proceeds and $36,443 as his share of the savings of $145,771.84.
1. Case Overview
1.1 Court
High Court1.2 Outcome
Appeal Allowed in Part
1.3 Case Type
Family
1.4 Judgment Type
Grounds of Decision
1.5 Jurisdiction
Singapore
1.6 Description
Appeal regarding division of matrimonial assets. Court awards wife 75% share of savings and orders her to pay husband $47,539.
1.7 Decision Date
2. Parties and Outcomes
| Party Name | Role | Type | Outcome | Outcome Type | Counsels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yap Bee Har | Petitioner | Individual | Appeal Allowed in Part | Partial | |
| Chan Tai Hock Philip | Respondent | Individual | Appeal Allowed in Part | Partial |
3. Judges
| Judge Name | Title | Delivered Judgment |
|---|---|---|
| Judith Prakash | Judge | Yes |
4. Counsels
| Counsel Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Suchitra Ragupathy | Rodyk and Davidson |
| Satwant Singh | Sim Mong Teck and Partners |
4. Facts
- The parties were married in August 1985 and had two children.
- The husband left the matrimonial home in 1999.
- The decree nisi was granted on 29 April 2003 based on the husband's unreasonable behaviour.
- The matrimonial home was bought on 1 October 1992 for $137,000.
- The wife contributed $50,500 from her savings towards the purchase of the matrimonial home.
- The husband contributed $91,238.50 from his CPF account towards the purchase of the matrimonial home.
- The wife managed the joint bank account and family expenses.
5. Formal Citations
- Yap Bee Har v Chan Tai Hock Philip, D 600662/2002, RAS 720083/2004, [2005] SGHC 99
6. Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Parties married | |
| Son born | |
| Daughter born | |
| Matrimonial home bought | |
| Parties sold the Normanton property | |
| Husband left the matrimonial home | |
| Decree nisi granted | |
| Ancillary matters orders made by District Judge Jeffrey Sim | |
| Appeal first came before the court | |
| Children interviewed | |
| Counselling sessions ordered | |
| Judgment reserved | |
| Appeal on access adjourned |
7. Legal Issues
- Division of Matrimonial Assets
- Outcome: The court ordered the wife to pay the husband $11,096 remaining from his share of the Normanton proceeds and $36,443 as his share of the savings of $145,771.84.
- Category: Substantive
8. Remedies Sought
- Division of matrimonial assets
- Larger share of matrimonial home
- Share of moneys in joint account
- Share of wife's personal account
9. Cause of Actions
- No cause of actions
10. Practice Areas
- Divorce
- Family Law
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
- Matrimonial assets
- Matrimonial home
- Division of assets
- Joint account
- CPF
- Normanton property
15.2 Keywords
- Divorce
- Matrimonial Assets
- Family Law
- Singapore
- High Court
- Division of Assets
17. Areas of Law
| Area Name | Relevance Score |
|---|---|
| Matrimonial Assets | 95 |
| Matrimonial Home | 95 |
| Division of Assets | 90 |
| Family Law | 90 |
| Access to Children | 70 |
| Care and Control | 70 |
| Child Custody | 60 |
| Maintenance | 50 |
16. Subjects
- Family Law
- Divorce
- Matrimonial Assets