WVZ v WVY: Cross Appeals on Custody, Care and Control of Children and Division of Matrimonial Assets
In a family law case before the General Division of the High Court (Family Division) of Singapore, WVZ (the Husband) and WVY (the Wife) filed cross-appeals against the District Judge's decision on ancillary matters following their divorce. The primary issues were the care and control of their two children and the division of matrimonial assets, including the matrimonial home and properties in China. The court dismissed the Husband's appeal in its entirety and granted the Wife's appeal, adjusting the valuation of matrimonial assets.
1. Case Overview
1.1 Court
General Division of the High Court (Family Division)1.2 Outcome
Husband's appeal dismissed; Wife's appeal granted.
1.3 Case Type
Family
1.4 Judgment Type
Judgment
1.5 Jurisdiction
Singapore
1.6 Description
Cross appeals regarding care and control of children and division of matrimonial assets. The court dismissed the husband's appeal and granted the wife's appeal.
1.7 Decision Date
2. Parties and Outcomes
3. Judges
| Judge Name | Title | Delivered Judgment |
|---|---|---|
| Choo Han Teck | Judge | Yes |
4. Counsels
| Counsel Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Lim Yong | Eldan Law LLP |
4. Facts
- The Husband and Wife married in China on 30 June 2005 and the Wife filed for divorce in Singapore on 7 August 2019.
- The Husband became a Singapore citizen in 2010 and the Wife is a Chinese citizen and Singapore Permanent Resident.
- The parties have two children, a 14-year-old son and an 8-year-old daughter, both Singapore citizens.
- Interim judgment was granted on 15 June 2020 on an uncontested basis.
- The District Judge ordered split care and control of the children, with the Husband having care and control of the son and the Wife having care and control of the daughter.
- The matrimonial home was valued at S$550,000 and ordered to be divided in a ratio of 41:59 in favor of the Husband.
- The Wife was ordered to sell replacement units for two properties in China and divide the net proceeds in a ratio of 41:59 in favor of the Husband.
5. Formal Citations
- WVZvWVY and another appeal and other matters, , [2025] SGHCF 12
6. Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Husband and Wife married in China | |
| Husband became a Singapore citizen | |
| Wife filed for divorce in Singapore | |
| Parties signed Divorce Agreement | |
| Interim judgment granted | |
| District Judge's order on ancillary matters | |
| Judgment reserved | |
| Judgment delivered | |
| Wife filed HCF/SUM 184/2024 | |
| Wife placed two deposits of RMB500,000 and RMB80,000 into Account 5053 | |
| Withdrawal of RMB580,000 from Account 2834 | |
| Balance of RMB312,340 was withdrawn from Account 2834 and transferred to Account 5053 |
7. Legal Issues
- Care and Control of Children
- Outcome: The court upheld the District Judge's decision to grant split care and control of the children.
- Category: Substantive
- Division of Matrimonial Assets
- Outcome: The court adjusted the valuation of matrimonial assets, excluding S$133,089.30 from the pool of assets.
- Category: Substantive
- Admissibility of Fresh Evidence
- Outcome: The court allowed the Wife's application to adduce fresh evidence regarding the Bank of China accounts.
- Category: Procedural
8. Remedies Sought
- Sole care and control of both children
- Division of matrimonial assets
- Exclusion of liabilities from matrimonial assets
- Uplift of final ratio for division
9. Cause of Actions
- No cause of actions
10. Practice Areas
- Family Law
- Divorce
- Ancillary Matters
11. Industries
- No industries specified
12. Cited Cases
| Case Name | Court | Affirmed | Citation | Jurisdiction | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chan Tin Sun v Fong Quay Sim | N/A | Yes | [2015] 2 SLR 195 | Singapore | Cited for the principle that an appellate court will typically not interfere in the orders made by the lower court unless the DJ erred in law or clearly exercised his discretion wrongly. |
| TNL v TNK and another appeal and another matter | N/A | Yes | [2017] 1 SLR 609 | Singapore | Cited for the application of the broad-brush approach in the division of matrimonial assets. |
| TQ v TR and another appeal | N/A | Yes | [2009] 2 SLR(R) 961 | Singapore | Cited for the principle that the amount of weight accorded to agreements between parties depends on the precise facts and circumstances of the case. |
| BOR v BOS and another appeal | Court of Appeal | Yes | [2018] SGCA 78 | Singapore | Cited for the principle that there must be some evidence which suggests on its face that the party in question has deliberately sought to conceal or deplete some assets which would otherwise be available for division. |
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
- Care and control
- Matrimonial assets
- Division of assets
- Ancillary matters
- Divorce Agreement
- Dissipation of assets
- Valuation of matrimonial home
- Split care and control
15.2 Keywords
- Family Law
- Divorce
- Custody
- Matrimonial Assets
- Singapore
- High Court
- Appeal
17. Areas of Law
| Area Name | Relevance Score |
|---|---|
| Family Law | 95 |
| Division of Matrimonial Assets | 85 |
| Child Custody | 80 |
| Care and Control | 75 |
| Access to Children | 70 |
| Matrimonial Home | 65 |
| Property Law | 60 |
| Personal Injury | 10 |
16. Subjects
- Family Law
- Divorce
- Custody
- Matrimonial Assets