WLE v WLF: Division of Matrimonial Assets and Child Maintenance Dispute in Divorce
In WLE v WLF, before the General Division of the High Court (Family Division) of Singapore, Justice Choo Han Teck addressed ancillary matters following a divorce, specifically the division of matrimonial assets and child maintenance. The court determined the valuation and inclusion of disputed assets, including the matrimonial home, an alleged investment, and the wife's jewelry. The court determined the parties' direct and indirect contributions to the marriage and ordered a division of matrimonial assets. The court ordered the Wife to contribute $900.00 for the daughter’s living expenses and half of the costs of local tertiary education.
1. Case Overview
1.1 Court
Family Justice Courts of the Republic of Singapore1.2 Outcome
Orders made for division of matrimonial assets and child maintenance.
1.3 Case Type
Family
1.4 Judgment Type
Judgment
1.5 Jurisdiction
Singapore
1.6 Description
Singapore court judgment on division of matrimonial assets and child maintenance following a 22-year marriage. The court determined asset division and maintenance.
1.7 Decision Date
2. Parties and Outcomes
3. Judges
| Judge Name | Title | Delivered Judgment |
|---|---|---|
| Choo Han Teck | Judge | Yes |
4. Counsels
4. Facts
- The plaintiff and defendant were married for 22 years.
- The husband is 53 years old and an ad hoc adjunct lecturer.
- The wife is 52 years old and a human resource practitioner.
- They have two children, a son aged 22 and a daughter aged 19.
- The interim judgment of divorce was granted on 20 September 2021.
- The parties agreed to joint custody of the daughter.
- The husband has care and control over the children, with reasonable access given to the wife.
5. Formal Citations
- WLE v WLF, Divorce Transferred No 2112 of 2021, [2023] SGHCF 14
6. Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Marriage of the plaintiff and the defendant | |
| Purchase of the Matrimonial Home | |
| Husband's retirement | |
| Mortgage for Matrimonial Home fully paid | |
| Withdrawal of $67,746.74 from Husband’s OCBC bank account | |
| Wife moved out of the matrimonial home | |
| Interim judgment of divorce granted | |
| Wife obtained valuation report from Knight Frank Pte Ltd | |
| Husband made payments for daughter's university admissions | |
| Hearing before the court | |
| Judgment reserved |
7. Legal Issues
- Division of Matrimonial Assets
- Outcome: The court determined the valuation and inclusion of disputed assets, and ordered a division of the matrimonial asset pool based on direct and indirect contributions.
- Category: Substantive
- Sub-Issues:
- Valuation of matrimonial home
- Inclusion of investment in matrimonial asset pool
- Valuation of wife's watches and jewellery
- Related Cases:
- [2007] 3 SLR(R) 743
- Child Maintenance
- Outcome: The court ordered the Wife to contribute $900.00 monthly for the daughter's living expenses and half of the costs of local tertiary education. No order was made for the son's daily living expenses.
- Category: Substantive
- Sub-Issues:
- Reasonable expenses for child maintenance
- Apportionment of maintenance obligations between parents
- Maintenance for children over 21
- Costs of tertiary education
- Related Cases:
- [2015] 4 SLR 59
- [2016] 4 SLR 674
- [2023] SGHCF 3
- [2021] 3 SLR 539
8. Remedies Sought
- Division of matrimonial assets
- Maintenance for the children
9. Cause of Actions
- Divorce
10. Practice Areas
- Divorce
- Family Law
- Matrimonial Asset Division
- Child Support
11. Industries
- No industries specified
12. Cited Cases
| Case Name | Court | Affirmed | Citation | Jurisdiction | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NK v NL | N/A | Yes | [2007] 3 SLR(R) 743 | Singapore | Cited for the broad-brush approach for attaining a just and equitable division under s 112 of the Women’s Charter 1961 (2020 Rev Ed). |
| TBC v TBD | N/A | No | [2015] 4 SLR 59 | Singapore | Cited for the proposition that the starting point should be that parents bear the financial burden of maintenance equally. |
| AUA v ATZ | Court of Appeal | Yes | [2016] 4 SLR 674 | Singapore | Cited for the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities in relation to child maintenance. |
| WBU v WBT | N/A | No | [2023] SGHCF 3 | Singapore | Cited regarding the reasonableness of expenses for which maintenance must be ordered under the Charter and that equal apportionment is not the starting point. |
| UYU v UYT | N/A | No | [2021] 3 SLR 539 | Singapore | Cited regarding the court's role in resolving clashes in parenting approaches and determining reasonable expenses for child maintenance. |
13. Applicable Rules
| Rule Name |
|---|
| No applicable rules |
14. Applicable Statutes
| Statute Name | Jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| Women’s Charter 1961 (2020 Rev Ed) | Singapore |
15. Key Terms and Keywords
15.1 Key Terms
- Matrimonial assets
- Child maintenance
- Direct financial contribution
- Indirect financial contribution
- Earning capacity
- Reasonable expenses
- Parenting style
15.2 Keywords
- divorce
- matrimonial assets
- child maintenance
- family law
- Singapore
17. Areas of Law
| Area Name | Relevance Score |
|---|---|
| Family Law | 100 |
| Matrimonial Assets | 95 |
| Division of Assets | 95 |
| Child Support | 90 |
| Maintenance | 90 |
| Child Custody | 80 |
| Evidence Law | 40 |
| Measure of Damages | 30 |
| Contract Law | 20 |
16. Subjects
- Family Law
- Divorce
- Matrimonial Assets
- Child Maintenance