Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2024
LAST UPDATED: 16 JANUARY 2025
Last updated
LAST UPDATED: 16 JANUARY 2025
Last updated
1. Citation and commencement
2. Application
3. Definitions
4. References to written laws
5. Updating
6. Calculation of time
7. Forms
8. Registrar’s Circulars
8A. Compliance with Practice Directions and Registrar’s Circulars
9. Definitions of this Part
10. Arrangements for the welfare of children
11. Seeking the Court’s approval under section 94A(4) of the Act
12. Cross-application
13. Named person
14. Consent to divorce on the ground of 3-year separation
15. Simplified hearing track for divorce / judicial separation proceedings
16. Case conferences
17. Uncontested matrimonial proceedings
18. Documents for use in trials of contested matrimonial proceedings under Part 10 of the Act
19. Claims for ancillary relief
20. Binding summaries
21. Agreement on claim(s) for ancillary relief
22. Evidence in proceedings for avoidance of disposition
3A: General
23. Definitions
24. Application of this Part 3
25. Application of Practice Directions
26. Bundles of authorities
27. Request for Court records
28. Change of solicitors
29. Other requests
30. Payment in and out of Court
31. Absence of respondent – Category 1 proceedings, Category 2 proceedings and Category 3B proceedings
3B: Category 1 Proceedings
32. Alternative dispute resolution
33. Pre-hearing matters
34. Service of summons under Part 8 or 9 of the Women’s Charter 1961 (except an application made under section 69, 70 or 70A)
35. Documents and affidavits in respect of proceedings under Parts 7, 8 and 9 of the Women’s Charter 1961
36. Appointment of maintenance record officer
36A. Referral of maintenance enforcement application to maintenance enforcement officer
37. Referral for assessment
38. Showing proof of payment
39. Interlocutory and other applications
39A. Substitution of applicant for protection order
3C: Category 2 Proceedings
40. Definitions
41. Application for transmission of Singapore maintenance order
42. Application under section 4 or 5 of the Act
43. Pre-hearing matters
3D: Category 3 Proceedings
44. Pre-hearing matters
45. Interlocutory and other applications
46. Title of proceedings
3I: Enforcement of child access orders
46A. Definitions of this Part
46B. Enforcement of access orders by the Family Courts
46C. Scope of access enforcement application
46D. Commencement documents for access enforcement application
46E. Compliance bond
46F. Application to discharge compliance bond
46G. Application to forfeit compliance bond
46H. Hearings in Court and in chambers
4A: Commencement of Proceedings
47. Documents to be filed at the Registry
48. Information to be provided in cause papers and documents that are filed in the Registry
49. Identification numbers to be stated in cause papers
50. Endorsements on originating processes and other documents
51. Distribution of applications
52. Summonses
53. Notice of Proceedings
4B: Proceedings under the Adoption of Children Act 2022
54. Submission of supporting documents
4C: Proceedings under the Mental Capacity Act 2008
55. Definitions of this Part
56. Documents to be filed
57. Where permission is not required to make an application
58. Where permission is required to make an application
59. Applications involving the appointment of deputies
60. Application for statutory wills
61. Uncontested applications for certain specified matters
4D: Proceedings under the Status of Children (Assisted Reproduction Technology) Act 2013
62. Proceedings under the Status of Children (Assisted Reproduction Technology) Act 2013
4E: Proceedings under the Voluntary Sterilisation Act 1974
63. Proceedings under the Voluntary Sterilisation Act 1974
64. Litigation representative in mental capacity proceedings
65. Mental capacity proceedings: where P ceases to lack capacity or dies
66. Application to be added as a party
67. Appointment of litigation representative for persons under disability
68. Informing of a party’s death in cases where proceedings are to be abated
6A: Service of Documents
69. Personal service of processes and documents
70. Substituted and dispensation of service
6B: Proceedings under the Adoption of Children Act 2022
71. Dispensation of consent and / or service
72. Requirements for substituted and dispensation of service
6C: Proceedings under the Mental Capacity Act 2008
73. Service of application on named respondents and relevant persons
74. Relevant persons
75. Consent of relevant persons
76. Notification of P
77. Responding to an application
7A: Case Management, Mediation and Counselling
78. Judicial case management
79. Case assignment
80. Case conferences
81. Powers of the Court to direct mediation and / or counselling
82. Mandatory counselling and mediation
83. Mediation conducted by the Court
84. Court-ordered private mediation
85. Counselling
7B: Family Neutral Evaluation
86. Family Neutral Evaluation process
87. Confidentiality
7C: Guidance on Direct Judicial Communications
88. Guidance on direct judicial communications in international family proceedings affecting children
7D: Amendment of Documents
89. Amendment of originating application for adoption of child
90. Amendment of documents
90A. Introduction
90B. Definition and objectives of Therapeutic Justice
90C. Purpose and application
90D. The tracks and the triage process
90E. Standard Track
90F. Teams Track
90G. Role of parties and solicitors under the TJ Model
90H. Exercise of judge-led powers and the Court’s discretion as to costs
91. Inspection of original of document disclosed
92. Voluntary request and disclosure
93. How to provide disclosure
94. Relying on documents / information disclosed through correspondence
95. Examination of children
96. Expert Witness Template
97. Application for approval to cross-examine an expert witness
98. Child representative
99. Parenting coordinator
100. Applications without notice for injunctions
101. Injunctions prohibiting the disposal of assets
102. Documents in support of applications without notice for injunctions (including injunctions prohibiting the disposal of assets)
103. Providing the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (“ICA”) with Court orders or injunctions restraining or prohibiting the taking of child out of Singapore
13A: Conduct of Court Proceedings and Hearings-Related Matters
104. Attendance at hearings in the Family Justice Courts
105. Weekend / Public Holiday Duty Registrar and Judge at the Family Courts
106. Duty Registrar and Duty Magistrate
107. Request for urgent hearing before Duty Judge
108. Request for urgent hearing dates or urgent hearings prior to the filing of the application through the Electronic Filing Service
109. Requesting a hearing date through the Electronic Filing Service
110. Adjournment or vacation of hearing dates and part-heard cases
111. Absence of parties
112. Attendance of solicitors
113. Absence from Court on medical grounds
114. The Central Queue Management System and Central Display Management System
115. Precedence and preaudience of Senior Counsel
116. Court dress
117. Submissions and examination by leading and assisting solicitor
118. Applications under section 43(3) or 57(8) of the Adoption of Children Act 2022 or section 14 of the Guardianship of Infants Act 1934
119. Use of electronic and other devices
120. Publication of and reports and comments on Court cases
121. Production of record of hearing
122. Application for Court records and certification of transcripts for family matters
123. Access to case file, inspection, taking copies of documents and conducting searches
13B: Documents and Authorities for use in Court
124. Filing of documents and authorities for use in Court generally
125. Hearings in chambers
126. Formatting requirements and page limits for written submissions
127. Written submissions and bundles of authorities for special date hearings in the Family Division
128. Citation of written judgments
13C: Consents
129. Consent orders
13D: Evidence – Witnesses, Affidavits and Exhibits
130. Definitions
131. Witnesses
132. Giving of evidence by person outside Singapore through live video link or live television link in any proceedings (other than proceedings in a criminal matter)
133. Form of affidavits
134. Forms that are deemed to be affidavits
135. Non-documentary exhibits to affidavits
136. Documentary exhibits to affidavits
137. Affirming and signing of affidavits in Singapore before, and completing of attestation by, commissioner for oaths through live video link or live television link
138. Affirming of documents by persons who do not understand English, are illiterate or blind
139. Effect of non-compliance
140. Objections to the contents of affidavits of evidence-in-chief
141. Filing directions to the Accountant-General for payment into and out of Court
142. Draft orders of Court
143. Extracting an order granted by consent
144. Unnecessary extraction of orders of Court
145. Order of Court for proceedings under the Mental Capacity Act 2008
146. Appeals under Part 19 of the Family Justice (General) Rules 2024
147. Request for further arguments before Judge
148. Use of presentation slides for all proceedings before the Family Division of the High Court
149. Appeals from tribunals and applications for a case to be stated or by way of case stated to the Family Division under Part 20 of the Family Justice (General) Rules 2024
150. Definitions
151. Basis of assessment
152. Form of bill of costs
153. Electronic filing of bills of costs for assessment
154. Objections
155. Amount allowed as disbursements on account of use of Electronic Filing Service
156. Assessments involving the Public Trustee or the Director of Legal Aid
157. Fixing costs instead of ordering assessment
158. Requests for the bailiff’s attendance
159. Seizure or attachment under an enforcement order
160. Claims and objections to seizure or attachment
161. Sale and valuation of seized property
162. Sale of immovable property
163. Bailiff’s Internet website
164. Examination of enforcement respondent
165. Definitions of this Part
166. Request for waiver or deferment of court fees in Family Division
167. Electronic payment of court fees
168. Stamping of documents
21A: General
169. Application
21B: Electronic Filing under the IELS
170. Proceedings for which the IELS is to be used
171. Establishment of Electronic Filing Service and appointment of electronic filing service provider
172. Appointment of agent to establish service bureau
173. Registered user and authorised user
174. Certificate of Service
175. Form of documents
176. Pagination of documents
177. Filing documents through service bureau
178. Filing of documents to the Family Justice Courts through another service bureau
179. Limits on the size and number of documents submitted using the IELS
180. Documents which cannot be converted into an electronic format
181. Rejection of documents, back-dating and refund of penalty
182. Hard copies of documents
183. Responsibility for accuracy and completeness of information submitted using the IELS
21C: Electronic Filing under the iFAMS
184. Proceedings for which the iFAMS is to be used
185. Establishment of Electronic Filing Service and appointment of electronic filing service provider
186. Authorised user and authorised agent
187. Electronic filing of written complaints
188. Documents
189. Documents which cannot be converted into electronic format
190. Amendment of documents
191. Limits on size and number of documents submitted using the iFAMS
21D: Electronic Filing under the ICMS
192. Establishment of Electronic Filing Service and proceedings for which the ICMS is to be used
193. Personal data
194. Operating hours of the Family Justice Courts
195. Hours for the sittings of the Family Justice Courts
196. Use of video or telephone conferencing for hearings
197. Technology facilities in Supreme Court building
198. Citation of case numbers
199. Requests and other correspondence
200. Request for court interpreters
201. Authorisation for collection of Court documents or mail
202. The Friends of Litigant-in-Person (“FLiP”) Scheme
203. Application of provisions of the Rules of Court 2021
204. Application of these Practice Directions
205. Application of the Supreme Court Practice Directions 2021
206. Citation of case numbers
207. Application of this Part
208. Applications for grant of probate or letters of administration or resealing
209. Filing of supporting affidavit
210. Affidavits of due execution and affidavits as to terms, conditions and date of execution of will
211. Affidavits of foreign law or certificate of notary in relation to foreign law
212. Filing of Schedule of Assets for estates where death occurs on or after 15 February 2008
213. Filing of schedules of property for non-dutiable estates where death occurred before 15 February 2008
214. Security for grants of letters of administration
215. Applications for dispensation of sureties for grants of letters of administration
216. Issuance of grant
217. Amendment of originating application and grant
218. Words or expressions where translation is not required
219. Definitions
220. Judge led approach in resolving disputes and case management
221. Attendance of solicitors at case conferences
222. Documents to be filed for case conferences
223. Overview of amicable resolution of dispute
224. Amicable resolution offer and response to amicable resolution offer
225. Powers of the Court to direct mediation
226. Mediation conducted by the Court
227. Court-ordered private mediation
228. Transfer of proceedings
229. Appeals
230. Application and Appeals
231. Magistrate’s complaints (private summonses)
232. Application for Court Records for Youth Courts matters
233. Initiation of prosecution
234. Charges
235. Checklists
236. Applications
237. Bundles of authorities for Youth Courts Proceedings
238. Documents
239. Documents which cannot be converted into electronic format
240. Amendment of charges and documents
241. Noting of appearances of solicitors / prosecutors
242. Limits on size and number of documents submitted using the ICMS
243. Giving evidence through live video or television link
244. Documents for use in criminal trials
244A. Application by person-in-charge of juvenile rehabilitation centre
245. Applications and documents with no specific court forms
246. General matters to note
247. Table of Forms
Forms in Appendix A (Forms for use in Family Justice (General) Rules 2024)
Forms in Appendix B (Common forms for use in Family Justice (General) Rules 2024 and Family Justice (Probate and Other Matters) Rules 2024)
Forms in Appendix C (Forms for use in Family Justice (Probate and Other Matters) Rules 2024)
Forms in Appendix D (Forms for use in Family Justice (Protection from Harassment) Rules 2024)
Appendix E (Sample Bills of Costs)
Forms in Appendix F (Forms for use in Family Justice (Criminal Proceedings in Youth Courts) Rules 2024)