WQT v WQU: Appeal on Access Orders for Child Custody Post-Divorce
In WQT v WQU, before the General Division of the High Court (Family Division), the appellant husband appealed against the access orders made by the District Judge concerning their 4-year-old daughter. The court, presided over by Choo Han Teck J, allowed the appeal in part, increasing access to five hours but ordering it to remain supervised for 12 months, and remitted the case to the trial judge to receive new evidence regarding allegations of molestation. The parties were divorced on 22 August 2022.
1. Case Overview
1.1 Court
General Division of the High Court (Family Division)1.2 Outcome
Appeal allowed in part; access increased to five hours but to remain supervised for 12 months; case remitted to trial judge.
1.3 Case Type
Family
1.4 Judgment Type
Grounds of Decision
1.5 Jurisdiction
Singapore
1.6 Description
Appeal regarding access orders for a 4-year-old child post-divorce. The court remitted the case for review of new evidence, ordering supervised access for 12 months.
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 |
|---|---|
| Anand George | I.R.B Law LLP |
4. Facts
- The appellant and respondent were divorced on 22 August 2022.
- They have a 4-year-old daughter, born on 5 January 2020.
- The appellant appealed against the access orders made by the trial judge.
- The appellant sought unsupervised access, while the respondent requested supervised access.
- The District Judge initially ordered supervised access followed by unsupervised access of three hours.
- The respondent alleged that the appellant molested their daughter.
- New evidence was presented during the appeal that was not before the trial judge.
5. Formal Citations
- WQT v WQU, District Court Appeal No 58 of 2023, [2024] SGHCF 3
6. Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Marriage of WQT and WQU | |
| Birth of child | |
| Divorce of WQT and WQU | |
| District Judge made access orders | |
| Appellant completed supervised access | |
| Hearing date | |
| Judgment date |
7. Legal Issues
- Child Access
- Outcome: Access increased to five hours but to remain supervised for 12 months; case remitted to trial judge.
- Category: Substantive
- Related Cases:
- [2023] SGFC 30
8. Remedies Sought
- Increased unsupervised access
9. Cause of Actions
- No cause of actions
10. Practice Areas
- Family Law
- Child Custody
- Divorce
11. Industries
- No industries specified
12. Cited Cases
| Case Name | Court | Affirmed | Citation | Jurisdiction | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WQT v WQU | District Court | Yes | [2023] SGFC 30 | Singapore | Cited as the original decision being appealed against regarding access orders. |
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
- Access orders
- Supervised access
- Unsupervised access
- Child custody
- Molestation allegations
- New evidence
15.2 Keywords
- Family Law
- Child Access
- Divorce
- Singapore
- Appeal
17. Areas of Law
| Area Name | Relevance Score |
|---|---|
| Family Law | 95 |
| Child Custody | 90 |
| Access to Children | 90 |
| Child Welfare | 70 |
| Family Justice Rules | 60 |
16. Subjects
- Family Law
- Child Access
- Divorce