VRJ v VRK: Division of Matrimonial Assets, Maintenance, and Custody Dispute
In the divorce case of VRJ v VRK, the Family Division of the High Court of Singapore, presided over by Justice Choo Han Teck, addressed the division of matrimonial assets, maintenance for the wife and children, and custody arrangements. The court determined the valuation and division of assets, granted joint custody to both parents with sole care and control to the wife, and established maintenance responsibilities for both the wife and children. The wife commenced divorce proceedings on 22 January 2020.
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 with sole care and control to the Wife, and maintenance for the Wife and Children.
1.3 Case Type
Family
1.4 Judgment Type
Judgment
1.5 Jurisdiction
Singapore
1.6 Description
Divorce case concerning the division of matrimonial assets, maintenance for the wife and children, and custody arrangements. The court determined asset division, custody, and maintenance responsibilities.
1.7 Decision Date
2. Parties and Outcomes
3. Judges
| Judge Name | Title | Delivered Judgment |
|---|---|---|
| Choo Han Teck | Judge of the High Court | Yes |
4. Counsels
| Counsel Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Raphael Louis | Ray Louis Law Corporation |
| Jayamani Jose Charles | Jose Charles & Co. |
4. Facts
- The Wife, aged 47, was a banker but unemployed since June 2019.
- The Husband, aged 54, is a Desk Head (Vice President) at a bank.
- The parties married on 15 September 2007 and have two children.
- The date of separation was 5 September 2019.
- The Wife commenced divorce proceedings on 22 January 2020.
- The Husband withdrew S$450,000 in January 2019 from a joint account.
- The Husband invested S$250,000 in Lombok, Indonesia, without the Wife's knowledge.
5. Formal Citations
- VRJ v VRK, Divorce (Transferred) No 348 of 2020, [2024] SGHCF 29
6. Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Parties married | |
| Wife became unemployed | |
| Husband invested S$250,000 in Lombok, Indonesia | |
| Parties separated | |
| Wife commenced divorce proceedings | |
| Interim judgment granted | |
| Wife obtained Masters of Science (Data Science) | |
| Ancillary matters hearing | |
| Judgment reserved | |
| Judgment issued |
7. Legal Issues
- Division of Matrimonial Assets
- Outcome: The court determined the valuation of matrimonial assets and ordered a 60:40 division in favor of the Wife, considering direct and indirect contributions, and an uplift due to the Husband's lack of full disclosure.
- Category: Substantive
- Maintenance for Wife
- Outcome: The court ordered the Husband to pay the Wife S$1,936.78 per month from January 2020 to July 2024, and 60% of the helper's salary and levy from August 2024 onwards.
- Category: Substantive
- Maintenance for Children
- Outcome: The court ordered the Husband to pay a lump sum of S$268,620 for the period of January 2020 to July 2024, and S$4,884 per month from August 2024 onwards until they are 21 years old.
- Category: Substantive
- Custody, Care and Control, and Access
- Outcome: The court granted joint custody to both parents, sole care and control to the Wife, and reasonable access to the Husband.
- Category: Substantive
- Full and Frank Disclosure
- Outcome: The court drew an adverse inference against the Husband for failing to provide full and frank disclosure regarding investments in the C Companies and Company D, granting the Wife a 10% uplift in the division of assets.
- Category: Procedural
8. Remedies Sought
- Division of Matrimonial Assets
- Maintenance for Wife
- Maintenance for Children
- Custody, Care and Control, and Access
9. Cause of Actions
- Divorce
- Division of Matrimonial Assets
- Maintenance
- Custody
10. Practice Areas
- Divorce
- Family Law
- Asset Division
- Child Custody
- Spousal Maintenance
- Child Maintenance
11. Industries
- Banking
- Finance
12. Cited Cases
| Case Name | Court | Affirmed | Citation | Jurisdiction | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TNL v TNK | N/A | No | [2017] 1 SLR 609 | Singapore | Cited regarding the irrelevance of parties' explanations for withdrawals from joint accounts without consent. |
| VQF v VQG | N/A | Yes | [2024] SGHCF 4 | Singapore | Cited regarding the division of money in joint bank accounts where one party claims the money belongs to another joint account holder. |
| WWM v WWN and another appeal | N/A | No | [2024] SGHCF 27 | Singapore | Cited regarding the principle that married parties do not always record every expenditure. |
| UYQ v UYP | N/A | No | [2020] 1 SLR 551 | Singapore | Cited regarding the futility of dredging up every detail of expenditure in a marriage. |
| UYQ v UYP | N/A | No | [2020] 3 SLR 684 | Singapore | Cited regarding the court's adoption of a broad-brush approach to arrive at a just and equitable division of matrimonial assets. |
| CX v CY (minor: custody and access) | N/A | Yes | [2005] 3 SLR(R) 690 | Singapore | Cited regarding the principles for granting custody, care and control and access. |
13. Applicable Rules
| Rule Name |
|---|
| No applicable rules |
14. Applicable Statutes
| Statute Name | Jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| Women’s Charter 1961 | Singapore |
15. Key Terms and Keywords
15.1 Key Terms
- Matrimonial Assets
- Date of Separation
- Direct Contributions
- Indirect Contributions
- Uplift
- Joint Custody
- Sole Care and Control
- Reasonable Access
- Maintenance
- Full and Frank Disclosure
15.2 Keywords
- Divorce
- Matrimonial Assets
- Maintenance
- Custody
- Singapore
- Family Law
17. Areas of Law
| Area Name | Relevance Score |
|---|---|
| Family Law | 95 |
| Maintenance | 85 |
| Child Custody | 75 |
| Child Support | 70 |
| Property Law | 30 |
| Wills and Probate | 10 |
| Aviation Litigation | 5 |
16. Subjects
- Family Law
- Divorce
- Matrimonial Assets
- Child Custody
- Spousal Maintenance
- Child Maintenance