fc_judgments_version: 71

This data as json

_id	_item	_version	_commit	tags	date	court	case-number	title	citation	url	counsel	timestamp	coram	html	_item_full_hash
71	61	1	1786	[ "Family Law \u2013 Maintenance \u2013 Child" ]	2024-08-06	Family Court	Maintenance Summons No 61 of 2024	XAS v XAR	[2024] SGFC 58	https://www.lawnet.sg:443/lawnet/web/lawnet/free-resources?p_p_id=freeresources_WAR_lawnet3baseportlet&p_p_lifecycle=1&p_p_state=normal&p_p_mode=view&_freeresources_WAR_lawnet3baseportlet_action=openContentPage&_freeresources_WAR_lawnet3baseportlet_docId=%2FJudgment%2F31925-SSP.xml	[ "Complainant in person", "Respondent in person" ]	2024-08-13T16:00:00Z[GMT]	Sheela Kumari Devi	<root><head><title>XAS v XAR</title></head><content><div class="contentsOfFile"> <h2 align="center" class="title"><span class="caseTitle"> XAS <em>v</em> XAR </span><br><span class="Citation offhyperlink"><a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/Judgment/31925-SSP.xml')">[2024] SGFC 58</a></span></h2><table id="info-table"><tbody><tr class="info-row"><td class="txt-label" style="padding: 4px 0px; white-space: nowrap" valign="top">Case Number</td><td class="info-delim1" style="padding: 4px">:</td><td class="txt-body">Maintenance Summons No 61 of 2024</td></tr><tr class="info-row"><td class="txt-label" style="padding: 4px 0px; white-space: nowrap" valign="top">Decision Date</td><td class="info-delim1" style="padding: 4px">:</td><td class="txt-body">06 August 2024</td></tr><tr class="info-row"><td class="txt-label" style="padding: 4px 0px; white-space: nowrap" valign="top">Tribunal/Court</td><td class="info-delim1" style="padding: 4px">:</td><td class="txt-body">Family Court</td></tr><tr class="info-row"><td class="txt-label" style="padding: 4px 0px; white-space: nowrap" valign="top">Coram</td><td class="info-delim1" style="padding: 4px">:</td><td class="txt-body"> Sheela Kumari Devi </td></tr><tr class="info-row"><td class="txt-label" style="padding: 4px 0px; white-space: nowrap" valign="top">Counsel Name(s)</td><td class="info-delim1" style="padding: 4px">:</td><td class="txt-body"> Complainant in person; Respondent in person </td></tr><tr class="info-row"><td class="txt-label" style="padding: 4px 0px; white-space: nowrap" valign="top">Parties</td><td class="info-delim1" style="padding: 4px">:</td><td class="txt-body"> XAS — XAR </td></tr></tbody></table> <p class="txt-body"><span style="font-style:italic">Family Law</span> – <span style="font-style:italic">Maintenance</span> – <span style="font-style:italic">Child</span></p> <p></p><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td width="80%"><p class="Judg-Hearing-Date">6 August 2024</p></td><td><p class="Judg-Date-Reserved"></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p> <p class="Judg-Author"> District Judge Sheela Kumari Devi:</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-1">Introduction</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_1"></a>1 The parties (whom I will refer to as the <b>“Mother</b> and the <b>“Father”</b>) were married on 14 February 2007. They have three children to the marriage namely:</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_1-p2_a"></a>(a) [Child 1], 16 years old, born in August 2007 (<b>“[Child 1]”</b>);</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_1-p2_b"></a>(b) [Child 2], 11 years old, born in March 2012 (<b>“[Child 2]”</b>); and</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_1-p2_c"></a>(c) [Child 3], 4 years old, born in October 2019 (<b>“[Child 3]”</b>)</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id=""></a>(collectively referred to as the <b>“Children”</b>).</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_2"></a>2 The Father moved out of the matrimonial flat sometime in 2023. The Mother has been maintaining the Children on her own and applied by way of the present proceedings for a maintenance order to be made against the Father for the Children.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_3"></a>3 Both parties appeared in person and the trial was conducted over a half day with the Father electing to have a court interpreter.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_4"></a>4 The Mother is about 40 years old and is presently employed as a domestic worker agent. The Father is about 42 years old and is unemployed. He is a bankrupt and states that he will be starting a new job as a market stall assistant in July 2024.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_5"></a>5 At the conclusion of the hearing, I ordered for the Father to provide maintenance for the Children as follows:</p> <table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="Judg-2" frame="none" pgwide="1"><colgroup><col width="19.76%"><col width="40.1%"><col width="40.14%"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(a)</p> </td><td align="left" class="" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">[Child 1] :</p> </td><td align="left" class="" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">$500</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(b)</p> </td><td align="left" class="" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">[Child 2]:</p> </td><td align="left" class="" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">$455</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(c)</p> </td><td align="left" class="" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">[Child 3]:</p> </td><td align="left" class="" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">$495</p> </td></tr></tbody></table><br clear="left"><br clear="left"> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_6"></a>6 The Father has since applied for legal aid and filed a Notice of Appeal against my decision. I shall now set out my brief reasons.</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-1">The parties’ cases</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_7"></a>7 The Mother’s case is that the Father has not been paying maintenance for the past one and a half years. The Mother has not been able to manage the expenses of the household and the Children due to her limited income and has racked up credit card debts and accumulated arrears on the HDB housing loan as a result. The Mother also asserts that the Father must be employed due to instances when she has witnessed him driving and doing live videos on Facebook selling frozen food. The Mother also asserts that Father is continuing with the business of selling frozen food which she used to do together with him in previous years.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_8"></a>8 The Father’s case is that he is only able to provide maintenance of $450 per month for the Children given his current financial position. The Father states that he has been unemployed for nearly 2 years. The reasons for his unemployment are as follows: (a) he only has primary-level education; (b) he has been imprisoned on 3 occasions; and (c) he was self-employed previously before becoming a bankrupt which has led to difficulties in gaining employment.</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-1">The law</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_9"></a>9 In applications for maintenance for a child, s 69(2) of the Women’s Charter 1961 (<b>“WC”</b>) provides that “[t]he court may, on due proof that a parent has neglected or refused to provide reasonable maintenance for [his] child who is unable to maintain [himself], order that parent to pay a monthly allowance or a lump sum for the maintenance of that child”.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_10"></a>10 The threshold issue is whether the Father has neglected and/or refused to provide reasonable maintenance for the Children. If neglect or refusal to provide reasonable maintenance is established, then the court considers the appropriate quantum of maintenance to be paid. In this regard, section 69(4) of the WC sets out the factors that the court can consider when ordering maintenance, such as the financial needs of the relevant parties, the income, earning capacity and other financial resources of the relevant parties and the standard of living enjoyed by them, amongst others.</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-1">Decision </p> <p class="Judg-Heading-1">(a) Neglect</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_11"></a>11 The Mother’s evidence that the Father had not been paying maintenance since he moved out in 2023 was not disputed by the Father. In the circumstances, I do find that the Father has neglected to provide maintenance for the Children.</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-1">(b) The Children’s Expenses</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_12"></a>12 I accepted the Mother’s lists of expenses for the Children (after she adjusted certain expenses on the witness stand for the first child) set out as follows:</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id=""></a> <b>Expenses for [Child 1]</b> </p> <table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="Judg-2-tblr" frame="all" pgwide="1"><colgroup><col width="56.6313262652531%"><col width="21.6843368673735%"><col width="21.6843368673735%"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Expense</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Original Amount claimed by the Mother (S$)</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Adjusted Amount per month (S$)</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Food, Groceries and Dining out</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">510</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">300 ($15 per day for 3 meals and $60 for snacks)</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Medical (including monthly counselling at $48 per session)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">97</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">97 </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">School Fees</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">12</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">12</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Pocket Money</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">400</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">150</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Stationery</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">10</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">10</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">School Books/ Assessment Books</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">21.66</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">21.66</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Clothing</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">26</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">26</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Personal Grooming</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">10</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">10</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Toiletries</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">16.66</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">16.66</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Mobile Phone Bill</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">65</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">61.78</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Outings</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">33.33</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">33.33</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Utilities (1/4 share)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">112.50</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">112.50</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Helper (1/4 share)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">150</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">150</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Total</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>1,464.15</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>1,000.93</b> </p> </td></tr></tbody></table><br clear="left"><br clear="left"> <p class="Judg-2"><a id=""></a> <b>Expenses for [Child 2]</b> </p> <table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="Judg-2-tblr" frame="all" pgwide="1"><colgroup><col width="56.62%"><col width="43.38%"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Expense</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Amount claimed by the Mother (S$)</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Food, Groceries and Dining out</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">450</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Medical</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">6.66</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">School Fees</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">6</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Pocket Money</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">60</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Stationery</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">10</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">School Books / Assessment Books</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">10</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">School Uniform</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">8</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Clothing</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">26</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Personal Grooming</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">10</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Toiletries</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">16.66</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Mobile Phone Bill</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">10</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Outings</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">33.33</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Utilities (1/4 share)</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">112.50</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Helper (1/4 share)</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">150</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Total</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>909.15</b> </p> </td></tr></tbody></table><br clear="left"><br clear="left"> <p class="Judg-2"><a id=""></a> <b>Expenses for [Child 3]</b> </p> <table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="Judg-2-tblr" frame="all" pgwide="1"><colgroup><col width="56.78%"><col width="43.22%"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Expense</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Amount claimed by the Mother (S$)</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Food, Groceries & Dining Out</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">150</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Medical</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">School Books / Assessment Books</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Stationery</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">10</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">School Uniform</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">2</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Childcare Fees</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">470.60</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Clothing</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">26</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Personal Grooming</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">10</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Toiletries</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">26.66</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Outings</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">33.33</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Utilities (1/4 share)</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">112.50</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Helper (1/4 share)</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">150</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Total</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>991.09</b> </p> </td></tr></tbody></table><br clear="left"><br clear="left"> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_13"></a>13 The Father did not voice any specific objections to the expenses set forth by the Mother apart from just stating a general objection at the trial that the expenses ought to be lesser. This was in spite of the Court informing him that he could cross-examine the Mother on the specific expenses (if any) that he took objection to. However, he chose not to do so. <span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_1" id="Ftn_1_1"><sup>[note: 1]</sup></a></span></p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_14"></a>14 In my view, the Mother’s lists of expenses for the Children (after taking into account the adjustments she made on the witness stand) were reasonable.</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-1">(c) Father’s Income and Earning Capacity</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_15"></a>15 The Father states that he will be starting a new job as a market stall assistant in July 2024 and will be earning a sum of $1,500 per month. As such, he will only be able to contribute the sum of $450 for the Children’s maintenance. The Father states that he has had difficulty gaining employment over the past 2 years as he was self-employed prior to his bankruptcy. Other impediments to him gaining employment are his prison record and low level of education. The Father also states that prior to his bankruptcy, he was in the business of import and export and was earning an income of $10,000 per month.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_2" id="Ftn_2_1"><sup>[note: 2]</sup></a></span> The Father states that he has been able to provide for his own personal expenses by way of borrowing money from his father and his friends.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_3" id="Ftn_3_1"><sup>[note: 3]</sup></a></span></p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_16"></a>16 The Mother disputes that the Father is unemployed. The Mother states that she has seen the Father driving around in a car<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_4" id="Ftn_4_1"><sup>[note: 4]</sup></a></span> and has also been informed by her friend that the Father has been posting live videos on Facebook selling frozen food<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_5" id="Ftn_5_1"><sup>[note: 5]</sup></a></span>. The Mother also states that parties had previously run a business selling frozen food together and she believes that the Father is still continuing on with this business in light of the Father’s Facebook videos<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_6" id="Ftn_6_1"><sup>[note: 6]</sup></a></span>. The Father’s position, on the stand, was that whilst he had appeared on Facebook live videos selling frozen food, it did not necessarily mean that he was making money from it and that these videos were done for entertainment and marketing.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_7" id="Ftn_7_1"><sup>[note: 7]</sup></a></span> The Father also stated that the car he was driving belonged to his friend.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_8" id="Ftn_8_1"><sup>[note: 8]</sup></a></span></p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_17"></a>17 The Father did not produce any evidence of his efforts to obtain employment or to demonstrate he could not obtain employment that was commensurate with his previous earning capacity of $10,000. The Father also did not produce any evidence of the loans he had taken from his father and his friends to sustain his living expenses.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_18"></a>18 Having heard the parties, I did not accept the Father’s contention that he had not been earning any income for the last 2 years. No evidence was produced of his apparent efforts to gain employment and, also, of the loans that had been extended by his father and friends to pay for his expenses over these last 2 years. There was no cogent evidence put forward to demonstrate why the Father had not been able to procure basic employment over such a prolonged period of time.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_19"></a>19 Overall, I find that the Father has not discharged his evidential burden to show that he is unable to afford and/or pay maintenance for the Children.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_20"></a>20 Whilst it was difficult for this Court to determine what exactly the Father’s income and/or earning capacity was in light of the dearth of evidence, I note that the Mother’s position was for parties to bear the expenses of the Children equally. This was notwithstanding the fact that she was not earning a particularly high take home income of $1,400 (which was not disputed by the Father). Whilst the Mother had professed hopes of getting better paying employment, this would not raise her income very significantly. In light of the Mother’s position (which I found to be reasonable) and using a broad brush approach, I was of the view that the Father should bear half of the Children’s expenses.</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-1">Conclusion</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_21"></a>21 For the reasons set out above, I made my orders for maintenance as set out at paragraph 5 above.</p> <hr align="left" size="1" width="33%"><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_1_1" id="Ftn_1">[note: 1]</a></sup>Certified Transcript, p. 35</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_2_1" id="Ftn_2">[note: 2]</a></sup>Certified Transcript, pp 38 to 39</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_3_1" id="Ftn_3">[note: 3]</a></sup>Certified Transcript, p. 39</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_4_1" id="Ftn_4">[note: 4]</a></sup>Certified Transcript, p. 37</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_5_1" id="Ftn_5">[note: 5]</a></sup>Certified Transcript, p. 41</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_6_1" id="Ftn_6">[note: 6]</a></sup>Certified Transcript, pp 40 to 41</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_7_1" id="Ftn_7">[note: 7]</a></sup>Certified Transcript, p. 42</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_8_1" id="Ftn_8">[note: 8]</a></sup>Certified Transcript, p. 37</p></div></content></root>	3fceaf76bb49ab4e63edeca6ef95da67674c94b0

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