WWG v WWH: Appeal for Injunction on Matrimonial Asset Sale in Divorce Proceedings
In WWG v WWH, the High Court (Family Division) heard the Wife's appeal against the District Judge's decision to dismiss her application for an injunction to restrain the Husband from selling Property A, a matrimonial asset, during divorce proceedings. The Wife filed for divorce on 20 December 2021 and obtained interim judgment on 1 February 2024. Justice Choo Han Teck dismissed the appeal, finding that the Wife failed to demonstrate that the sale of Property A would prejudice her, as there were adequate remaining matrimonial assets to satisfy her likely division proportion.
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 an injunction to prevent the husband from selling a matrimonial property. The court dismissed the appeal, finding no prejudice to the wife.
1.7 Decision Date
2. Parties and Outcomes
| Party Name | Role | Type | Outcome | Outcome Type | Counsels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WWG | Appellant | Individual | Appeal dismissed | Lost | Rajwin Singh Sandhu |
| WWH | Respondent | Individual | Appeal dismissed | Won | Poh Jun Zhe Malcus |
3. Judges
| Judge Name | Title | Delivered Judgment |
|---|---|---|
| Choo Han Teck | Judge of the High Court | Yes |
4. Counsels
| Counsel Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Rajwin Singh Sandhu | Rajwin & Yong LLP |
| Poh Jun Zhe Malcus | Chun Ting Fai & Co |
4. Facts
- The Wife and Husband were married on 22 May 2011.
- The Wife filed for divorce on 20 December 2021.
- The Wife sought an injunction to restrain the Husband from selling Property A.
- Property A is a condominium in the Husband's sole name and is a matrimonial asset.
- The Husband intended to use the proceeds from the sale of Property A to pay off his credit card debt.
- The Husband estimated the value of the matrimonial pool to be around $2,285,030.
- The net proceeds from the sale of Property A were estimated to be $354,309.50.
5. Formal Citations
- WWG v WWH, , [2024] SGHCF 26
- WWG v WWH, Registrar’s Appeal from the Family Justice Courts No 5 of 2024, Registrar’s Appeal from the Family Justice Courts No 5 of 2024
6. Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Parties married | |
| Wife filed for divorce | |
| Interim judgment obtained | |
| Judgment reserved |
7. Legal Issues
- Interlocutory Injunction
- Outcome: The court held that the wife was not entitled to the injunction because she failed to show that the sale of the property would prejudice her, given the value of the remaining matrimonial assets.
- Category: Procedural
- Sub-Issues:
- Prejudice to non-disposing party
- Adequacy of remaining matrimonial assets
- Related Cases:
- [2011] SGHC 91
8. Remedies Sought
- Interlocutory Injunction
9. Cause of Actions
- Divorce
10. Practice Areas
- Divorce
- Family Law Litigation
11. Industries
- No industries specified
12. Cited Cases
| Case Name | Court | Affirmed | Citation | Jurisdiction | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee Chi Lena v Chien Chuen Chi Jeffrey | High Court | Yes | [2011] SGHC 91 | Singapore | Cited for the principle that an injunction against disposing of matrimonial assets depends on whether the other spouse will be prejudiced by the disposition, considering the adequacy of remaining assets. |
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 asset
- Interlocutory injunction
- Prejudice
- Matrimonial pool
- Division proportion
15.2 Keywords
- Divorce
- Matrimonial Assets
- Injunction
- Family Law
- Singapore
16. Subjects
- Family Law
- Divorce
- Injunctions
- Matrimonial Assets
17. Areas of Law
- Family Law
- Matrimonial Assets
- Injunctions