PART 1: INTRODUCTION

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

1. Citation and commencement

These Practice Directions may be cited as the Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2024 and come into operation on 15 October 2024.

2. Application

Unless otherwise provided in these Practice Directions,

(a) Parts 1 to 22 and 27 of these Practice Directions (collectively referred to as “Practice Directions (General)”) apply to all proceedings that are governed by the Family Justice (General) Rules 2024.

(b) Parts 1, 23, 24, 25 and 27 of these Practice Directions (collectively referred to as “Practice Directions (Probate)”) apply to all of the following proceedings in the Family Justice Courts which are commenced on or after 15 October 2024, including appeals arising from those proceedings:

(i) any civil proceedings under the Inheritance (Family Provision) Act 1966;

(ii) any civil proceedings for the distribution of an intestate estate in accordance with the Intestate Succession Act 1967;

(iii) any civil proceedings under the Legitimacy Act 1934;

(iv) any civil proceedings under the Probate and Administration Act 1934; and

(v) any civil proceedings under the Wills Act 1838.

(c) Parts 1, 26 and 27 of these Practice Directions (collectively referred to as “Practice Directions (Criminal Proceedings in Youth Courts)”) apply to all proceedings that are governed by the Family Justice (Criminal Proceedings in Youth Courts) Rules 2024.

(d) The following parts / paragraphs of these Practice Directions (collectively referred to as “Practice Directions (Protection from Harassment)”) apply to all proceedings that are governed by the Family Justice (Protection from Harassment) Rules 2024:

Part 1

Part 4A, except paragraph 53

Part 5

Part 6A

Part 7, except Part 7B

Part 8

Part 9

Part 12

Part 13

Part 14

Part 15, except paragraph 145

Part 16

Part 18

Part 19

Part 20

Part 21

Part 22

Part 27

(e) The Family Justice Courts Practice Directions as in force immediately before 15 October 2024 continue to apply, on and after 15 October 2024, to all proceedings that are governed by the Family Justice Rules 2014.

(f) To avoid doubt, the applications in Column 1 filed on and after 15 October 2024 relating to proceedings in Column 2 commenced before 15 October 2024 are to be filed in the manner set out in Column 3:

Column 1: Application to be filed	Column 2: Existing Court proceedings	Column 3: Manner of filing
Variation, rescission, setting aside of final orders	Guardianship of Infants Act 1934 Section 17(1)(d) of Supreme Court of Judicature Act 1969 Part 10 of Women’s Charter 1961 International Child Abduction Act 2010 Section 17A(2) of Supreme Court of Judicature Act 1969 Mental Capacity Act 2008 Status of Children (Assisted Reproduction Technology) Act 2013 Voluntary Sterilization Act 1974 Adoption of Children Act 1939	Originating application
Enforcement of child access orders (whether final or interim orders)	Guardianship of Infants Act 1934 Part 10 of Women’s Charter 1961	Originating application
Enforcement of orders (whether final or interim orders) other than child access orders. This includes committal applications.	Guardianship of Infants Act 1934 Section 17(1)(d) of Supreme Court of Judicature Act 1969 Part 10 of Women’s Charter 1961 International Child Abduction Act 2010 Section 17A(2) of Supreme Court of Judicature Act 1969 Mental Capacity Act 2008 Status of Children (Assisted Reproduction Technology) Act 2013 Voluntary Sterilization Act 1974 Adoption of Children Act 1939	Summons in existing Court proceedings
Applications under Section 11A of Family Justice Act 2014. This includes: (i) applications for section 11A orders; (ii) applications to amend, vary, discharge section 11A orders; and (iii) applications to lift section 11A orders	Guardianship of Infants Act 1934 Section 17(1)(d) of Supreme Court of Judicature Act 1969 Part 10 of Women’s Charter 1961 International Child Abduction Act 2010 Section 17A(2) of Supreme Court of Judicature Act 1969 Mental Capacity Act 2008 Status of Children (Assisted Reproduction Technology) Act 2013 Voluntary Sterilization Act 1974 Adoption of Children Act 1939	Summons in existing Court proceedings

3. Definitions

In these Practice Directions, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) “Court” means:

(i) the Family Division or a judge of the Family Division, whether sitting in court or in chambers;

(ii) a Family Court or a judge of a Family Court, whether sitting in court or in chambers;

(iii) a Youth Court or a judge of a Youth Court, whether sitting in court or in chambers; or

(iv) in cases where he or she is empowered to act — the Registrar.

(b) “Electronic Filing Service” means an electronic filing service established under Part 28, Rule 3 of the Family Justice (General) Rules 2024;

(c) “Family Division” means the Family Division of the High Court;

(d) “IELS” means the electronic filing service called the Integrated Electronic Litigation System established under Part 28, Rule 3 of the Family Justice (General) Rules 2024;

(e) “iFAMS” means the electronic filing service called the Integrated Family Application Management System established under Part 28, Rule 3 of the Family Justice (General) Rules 2024;

(f) “Judge” means a judge of the Family Division, a judge of a Family Court or a judge of a Youth Court and includes, in cases where he or she is empowered to act, a Registrar, as the case may require;

(g) “P” means a person who lacks or is alleged to lack capacity (within the meaning given by the Mental Capacity Act 2008) and to whom any proceedings under that Act relate;

(h) “Registrar” means the Registrar of the Family Justice Courts; and

(i) “Registry” means the Registry of the Family Justice Courts.

4. References to written laws

In these Practice Directions, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) any reference to a repealed provision of any written law is a reference to that provision as in force immediately before the date the provision is repealed;

(b) Any reference to “Rules of Court 2021” or “ROC 2021” is a reference to the Rules of Court 2021 (G.N. No. S 914/2021) as in force on or after 1 April 2022.

(c) any reference to “Family Justice Rules 2014” is a reference to the Family Justice Rules 2014 (G.N. No. S 813/2014) as in force immediately before 15 October 2024;

(d) any reference to “Family Justice (General) Rules 2024” or “FJ(G)R” is a reference to the Family Justice (General) Rules 2024 (G.N. No. S 720/2024) as in force on or after 15 October 2024;

(e) any reference to “Family Justice (Probate and Other Matters) Rules 2024” or “FJ(P)R” is a reference to the Family Justice (Probate and Other Matters) Rules 2024 (G.N. No. S 723/2024) as in force on or after 15 October 2024;

(f) any reference to “Family Justice (Criminal Proceedings in Youth Courts) Rules 2024” or “FJ(CP)R” is a reference to the Family Justice (Criminal Proceedings in Youth Courts) Rules 2024 (G.N. No. S 725/2024) as in force on or after 15 October 2024;

(g) any reference to “Family Justice (Protection from Harassment) Rules 2024” or “FJ(PH)R” is a reference to the Family Justice (Protection from Harassment) Rules 2024 (G.N. No. S 721/2024) as in force on or after 15 October 2024;

(h) where any legislation is cited in these Practice Directions, the citation is to be read as referring to the version of that legislation currently in force.

5. Updating

(1) Any addition or amendment to these Practice Directions will be notified on the Singapore Courts website at https://www.judiciary.gov.sg. The Practice Directions will be updated on the date the addition or amendment takes effect.

(2) The complete and updated Practice Directions can be downloaded from the Singapore Courts website at https://www.judiciary.gov.sg.

6. Calculation of time

(1) Unless otherwise stated, the provisions in the Family Justice (General) Rules 2024 relating to the calculation of time apply to the calculation of time in the Practice Directions (General).

(2) Unless otherwise stated, the provisions in the Family Justice (Probate and Other Matters) Rules 2024 relating to the calculation of time apply to the calculation of time in the Practice Directions (Probate).

(3) Unless otherwise stated, the provisions in the Criminal Procedure Code 2010 relating to the calculation of time apply to the calculation of time in the Practice Directions (Criminal Proceedings in Youth Courts).

(4) Unless otherwise stated, the provisions in the Family Justice (General) Rules 2024 relating to the calculation of time apply to the calculation of time in the Practice Directions (Protection from Harassment).

7. Forms

(1) The forms in Appendices A, B, C, D, E and F to these Practice Directions are to be used where applicable, with such variations as the circumstances of the case may require. For guidance on the applicability of the forms, please refer to Part 27 of these Practice Directions.

(2) The cover notes and help notes in the individual forms are designed to assist the court user in the use of the forms, and do not form part of these Practice Directions. The cover notes and help notes may be revised or updated at any time. Please refer to the Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2024 on the electronic Practice Directions (e-PD) platform for the latest version of the cover notes and help notes.

8. Registrar’s Circulars

Registrar’s Circulars can be found at the Singapore Courts website at https://www.judiciary.gov.sg.