ZP v ZO: Division of Matrimonial Assets and Child Custody Dispute
In the High Court of Singapore, Justice Philip Pillai presided over the divorce case of ZP v ZO on December 21, 2010, concerning the custody, care, and control of three children, as well as the division of matrimonial assets. The court granted sole custody, care, and control to the defendant (wife), with specific access arrangements for the plaintiff (husband). The court ordered the division of matrimonial assets in the proportion of 57% to the husband and 43% to the wife. A nominal maintenance of $1.00 was awarded to the wife, and the husband was ordered to pay S$3,500 per month for the children’s maintenance.
1. Case Overview
1.1 Court
High Court1.2 Outcome
Orders made for custody, access, division of matrimonial assets, and maintenance of wife and children.
1.3 Case Type
Family
1.4 Judgment Type
Grounds of Decision
1.5 Jurisdiction
Singapore
1.6 Description
High Court case concerning custody, care, control of children, and division of matrimonial assets in a divorce. Orders made for custody, access, and maintenance.
1.7 Decision Date
2. Parties and Outcomes
| Party Name | Role | Type | Outcome | Outcome Type | Counsels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZP | Plaintiff | Individual | Orders made for access to children and division of matrimonial assets. | Partial | Yap Teong Liang |
| ZO | Defendant | Individual | Sole custody, care and control of the three children granted to the defendant. | Won | Foo Siew Fong |
3. Judges
| Judge Name | Title | Delivered Judgment |
|---|---|---|
| Philip Pillai | Judge | Yes |
4. Counsels
| Counsel Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Yap Teong Liang | TL Yap & Associates |
| Foo Siew Fong | Harry Elias Partnership |
4. Facts
- The parties separated, and the District Judge made an interim order for care, control, and access of the three children on 7 October 2008.
- The husband appealed against the DJ’s orders to the High Court, which made further orders regarding access.
- The three children are all daughters, with the two older daughters being young teenagers.
- The plaintiff and defendant’s direct income during the marriage approximated the proportions of 57%/43%.
- At the time of the divorce, their respective holdings of assets reflected the proportion of 63%/37%.
- The parties maintained a joint savings account in the defendant’s name, which had a balance of S$99,000 in August 2008, reduced to S$11,000 by the defendant.
5. Formal Citations
- ZP v ZO, Divorce Suit No 3710 of 2009, [2010] SGHC 364
6. Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| District Judge made an interim order for care, control and access of the three children. | |
| Order for plaintiff to pay S$3,500 per month for the children’s maintenance took effect. | |
| High Court issued decision on custody, care and control, and division of matrimonial assets. |
7. Legal Issues
- Custody, care and control of children
- Outcome: The court granted sole custody, care, and control of the three children to the defendant (wife), with specific access arrangements for the plaintiff (husband).
- Category: Substantive
- Division of matrimonial assets
- Outcome: The court ordered the division of matrimonial assets in the proportion of 57% to the husband and 43% to the wife.
- Category: Substantive
- Maintenance of wife
- Outcome: The court awarded a nominal maintenance of $1.00 to the wife.
- Category: Substantive
- Maintenance of children
- Outcome: The court ordered the plaintiff (husband) to pay S$3,500 per month for the children’s maintenance.
- Category: Substantive
8. Remedies Sought
- Custody of children
- Care and control of children
- Division of matrimonial assets
- Maintenance for wife
- Maintenance for children
9. Cause of Actions
- Divorce
10. Practice Areas
- Divorce
- Child Custody
- 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 |
|---|---|
| Section 112 of the Women’s Charter | Singapore |
15. Key Terms and Keywords
15.1 Key Terms
- Custody
- Care and control
- Matrimonial assets
- Division of assets
- Maintenance
- Access
- Children's maintenance
15.2 Keywords
- Divorce
- Custody
- Matrimonial Assets
- Singapore
- Family Law
16. Subjects
- Family Law
- Divorce
- Child Custody
- Matrimonial Assets
17. Areas of Law
- Family Law
- Divorce Law
- Custody Law
- Matrimonial Assets Division