VDT v VDU: Division of Matrimonial Assets, Custody, and Maintenance Dispute
In the divorce case of VDT (Husband) v VDU (Wife) before the Family Justice Courts of Singapore, the court addressed the division of matrimonial assets, custody and access to the children, and maintenance for the wife and children. The court ordered a division of matrimonial assets with a 48:52 ratio between the Wife and the Husband, granted joint custody of the children, specified access terms for the Husband, and ordered the Husband to pay monthly maintenance for the children and a lump sum for the Wife's maintenance.
1. Case Overview
1.1 Court
Family Justice Courts of the Republic of Singapore1.2 Outcome
Orders made for division of matrimonial assets, joint custody of children, and maintenance for wife and children.
1.3 Case Type
Family
1.4 Judgment Type
Judgment
1.5 Jurisdiction
Singapore
1.6 Description
Divorce case involving division of matrimonial assets, child custody, and spousal/child maintenance. The court determined asset division, granted joint custody, and ordered maintenance payments.
1.7 Decision Date
2. Parties and Outcomes
3. Judges
| Judge Name | Title | Delivered Judgment |
|---|---|---|
| Tan Puay Boon | Judicial Commissioner | Yes |
4. Counsels
4. Facts
- The parties were married on 15 October 2005 and have two children.
- The Husband commenced divorce proceedings on 1 July 2017, and interim judgment was granted on 6 March 2018.
- The Husband was previously employed at Company [A] with a high salary but was made redundant in February 2017.
- The Wife was employed at Organisation [B] but was later let go in 2019.
- The Husband has been residing in the UK since February 2018, working at a lower salary.
- The parties have joint custody of the children, with care and control granted to the Wife.
- The Matrimonial Home was valued at $5,780,000.00 with a mortgage loan of $1,796,164.23.
5. Formal Citations
- VDT v VDU, Divorce (Transferred) No 3014 of 2017, [2020] SGHCF 15
6. Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Parties married in Singapore | |
| Husband left the Matrimonial Home | |
| Husband commenced first divorce proceedings | |
| Husband made redundant from Company [A] | |
| Husband filed for divorce | |
| Husband found employment in the UK | |
| Interim judgment granted | |
| Ancillary matters hearings began | |
| Judgment reserved |
7. Legal Issues
- Division of Matrimonial Assets
- Outcome: The court ordered a division of matrimonial assets with a 48:52 ratio between the Wife and the Husband.
- Category: Substantive
- Sub-Issues:
- Valuation of assets
- Dissipation of assets
- Direct contributions
- Indirect contributions
- Child Custody
- Outcome: The court granted joint custody of the children to both parents and specified access terms for the Husband.
- Category: Substantive
- Sub-Issues:
- Joint custody
- Access rights
- Children's education
- Maintenance of Wife
- Outcome: The court awarded the Wife a lump sum of $96,000.00 for maintenance.
- Category: Substantive
- Sub-Issues:
- Lump sum maintenance
- Clean break principle
- Earning capacity of wife
- Maintenance of Children
- Outcome: The court ordered the Husband to pay $9,000.00 monthly for the maintenance of the children.
- Category: Substantive
- Sub-Issues:
- Reasonable expenses
- Parental responsibility
- Standard of living
8. Remedies Sought
- Division of Matrimonial Assets
- Custody of Children
- Maintenance for Wife
- Maintenance for Children
9. Cause of Actions
- Divorce
10. Practice Areas
- Divorce Litigation
- Family Law
- Child Custody
- Matrimonial Asset Division
11. Industries
- No industries specified
12. Cited Cases
| Case Name | Court | Affirmed | Citation | Jurisdiction | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NK v NL | Unknown | Yes | [2007] 3 SLR(R) 743 | Singapore | Cited for the methodologies of dividing matrimonial assets: the global assessment methodology and the classification methodology. |
| ARY v ARX and another appeal | Unknown | Yes | [2016] 2 SLR 686 | Singapore | Cited for the starting position for the date of the identification of matrimonial assets is the interim judgment date. |
| TND v TNC and another appeal | Court of Appeal | Yes | [2017] SGCA 34 | Singapore | Cited for the starting point for the date of the valuation of the matrimonial assets is the date of the ancillary matters hearing. |
| UZR v UZS | High Court (Family Division) | Yes | [2019] SGHCF 28 | Singapore | Cited for the principle that for bank accounts, the matrimonial assets are the money in the accounts, and not the accounts themselves. |
| TNL v TNK | Court of Appeal | Yes | [2017] 1 SLR 609 | Singapore | Cited for guidelines on how allegations of wrongful dissipation of assets are to be addressed. |
| Neo Hui Ling v Ang Ah Sew | Unknown | Yes | [2012] 2 SLR 831 | Singapore | Cited for the presumption that transfers from parents to children are presumed to be gifts and not loans. |
| AQT v AQU | High Court | Yes | [2011] SGHC 138 | Singapore | Cited for the principle that legal fees are generally not deducted from the pool of matrimonial assets. |
| Chan Teck Hock David v Leong Mei Chuan | Court of Appeal | Yes | [2002] SGCA 3 | Singapore | Cited for the principle that a pension is a matrimonial asset, notwithstanding that the amount accrued is not yet payable. |
| UWL v UWM | High Court (Family Division) | Yes | [2019] SGHCF 17 | Singapore | Cited for the principle that a spouse’s contributions ought to be considered up to the point where the marriage continues to exist in any meaningful sense. |
| CX v CY (minor: custody and access) | Unknown | Yes | [2005] 3 SLR(R) 690 | Singapore | Cited for the principle that there is little difference between a “no custody order” and a “joint custody order”. |
| UYK v UYJ | High Court (Family Division) | Yes | [2020] SGHCF 9 | Singapore | Cited for the principle that it is in the best interests of a child for him to maintain links with both of his parents. |
13. Applicable Rules
| Rule Name |
|---|
| No applicable rules |
14. Applicable Statutes
| Statute Name | Jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| Women’s Charter (Cap 353, 2009 Rev Ed) | Singapore |
15. Key Terms and Keywords
15.1 Key Terms
- Matrimonial Assets
- Interim Judgment
- Ancillary Matters
- Joint Custody
- Care and Control
- Maintenance
- Dissipation
- Direct Contributions
- Indirect Contributions
- Retrenchment Package
15.2 Keywords
- Divorce
- Matrimonial Assets
- Child Custody
- Maintenance
- Singapore
- Family Law
17. Areas of Law
| Area Name | Relevance Score |
|---|---|
| Family Law | 95 |
| Matrimonial Assets | 90 |
| Child Custody | 85 |
| Maintenance | 80 |
| Maintenance (Child) | 75 |
| Maintenance (Wife) | 75 |
| Children's Welfare | 70 |
| Division of Assets | 65 |
16. Subjects
- Family Law
- Divorce
- Matrimonial Assets
- Child Custody
- Maintenance