VBS v VBR: Appeal on Variation of Child Maintenance Order
In the Family Justice Courts of Singapore, VBS appealed against the District Judge's decision to vary the ancillary orders on division of matrimonial assets and the maintenance for the two children of the marriage with VBR. The High Court, presided over by Choo Han Teck J, granted a consent order regarding the matrimonial asset. The appeal on the maintenance order for the two children remained. The court dismissed the wife's appeal, finding no error in the District Judge's decision to vary the maintenance order based on a material change of circumstances.
1. Case Overview
1.1 Court
General Division of the High Court (Family Division)1.2 Outcome
Appeal Dismissed
1.3 Case Type
Family
1.4 Judgment Type
Judgment
1.5 Jurisdiction
Singapore
1.6 Description
Appeal regarding variation of child maintenance order. The court dismissed the wife's appeal, finding no error in the District Judge's decision.
1.7 Decision Date
2. Parties and Outcomes
| Party Name | Role | Type | Outcome | Outcome Type | Counsels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VBS | Appellant | Individual | Appeal Dismissed | Lost | |
| VBR | Respondent | Individual | Variation Order Upheld | Won | A. Rajandran |
3. Judges
| Judge Name | Title | Delivered Judgment |
|---|---|---|
| Choo Han Teck | Judge of the High Court | Yes |
4. Counsels
| Counsel Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| A. Rajandran | A. Rajandran |
4. Facts
- The parties appeared before the District Judge for separate applications to vary the ancillary orders.
- The District Judge varied parts of the 2019 Order, and the Wife appealed.
- Parties reached an agreement with respect to the matrimonial asset.
- The Husband requested for the children’s monthly maintenance to be varied.
- The domestic helper has stopped working for the Wife since August 2019.
- The Wife also asked the court to vary the 2019 Order, so that the Husband will have to pay for the children’s food and his share of the Town Council fee.
- The DJ granted the variation order sought by the Husband, and allowed for $290 for the son, and $190 for the daughter.
5. Formal Citations
- VBS v VBR, District Court Appeal No 23 of 2021, [2021] SGHCF 32
6. Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2019 Order made by District Judge | |
| Hearing before the High Court | |
| Judgment reserved |
7. Legal Issues
- Variation of Maintenance Order
- Outcome: The court found no error in the District Judge's decision to vary the maintenance order based on a material change of circumstances.
- Category: Substantive
- Sub-Issues:
- Material change of circumstances
- Failure to adduce evidence
8. Remedies Sought
- Variation of Maintenance Order
9. Cause of Actions
- No cause of actions
10. Practice Areas
- Family Law
- Divorce
- Child Support
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
- Maintenance
- Variation
- Child
- Domestic Helper
- Material Change of Circumstances
15.2 Keywords
- family law
- maintenance
- child
- variation
- appeal
16. Subjects
- Family Law
- Child Maintenance
- Divorce
17. Areas of Law
- Family Law
- Maintenance Law
- Child Maintenance