fc_judgments_version: 87
This data as json
| _id | _item | _version | _commit | tags | date | court | case-number | title | citation | url | counsel | timestamp | coram | html | _item_full_hash |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 87 | 73 | 1 | 1799 | [
"Family Law \u2013 Matrimonial assets \u2013 Division"
] |
2024-09-04 | Family Court | Divorce No 4370 of 2023 | XCD v XCE | [2024] SGFC 72 | 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%2F32081-SSP.xml | [
"Han Hean Juan (Han & Lu Law Chambers LLP) for the plaintiff",
"The defendant absent and unrepresented."
] |
2024-09-10T16:00:00Z[GMT] | Tan Zhi Xiang | <root><head><title>XCD v XCE</title></head><content><div class="contentsOfFile"> <h2 align="center" class="title"><span class="caseTitle"> XCD <em>v</em> XCE </span><br><span class="Citation offhyperlink"><a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/Judgment/32081-SSP.xml')">[2024] SGFC 72</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">Divorce No 4370 of 2023</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">04 September 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"> Tan Zhi Xiang </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"> Han Hean Juan (Han & Lu Law Chambers LLP) for the plaintiff; The defendant absent and unrepresented. </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"> XCD — XCE </td></tr></tbody></table> <p class="txt-body"><span style="font-style:italic">Family Law</span> – <span style="font-style:italic">Matrimonial assets</span> – <span style="font-style:italic">Division</span></p> <p></p><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td width="80%"><p class="Judg-Hearing-Date">4 September 2024</p></td><td><p class="Judg-Date-Reserved"></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p> <p class="Judg-Author"> District Judge Tan Zhi Xiang:</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_1"></a>1 This is my decision on the division of matrimonial assets and spousal maintenance. The orders were made in the absence of the Defendant, who failed to enter an appearance or attend any of the five case conferences or the hearing on the ancillary matters. Notwithstanding this, the Defendant appointed solicitors after orders on ancillary matters were made and final judgment was granted, and filed a Notice of Appeal against my decision. These are the grounds of my decision.</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-1">Procedural history</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_2"></a>2 The writ and accompanying documents were filed on 11 September 2023. Personal service was effected on the Defendant at the matrimonial home on 10 October 2023.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_1" id="Ftn_1_1"><sup>[note: 1]</sup></a></span> As the Defendant failed to enter an appearance, Interim Judgment was granted on 11 December 2023.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_3"></a>3 Subsequently, five case conferences were convened for the management of the ancillary matters. As stated above, the Defendant did not turn up at any of the case conferences, even though the Registrar’s Notices were sent to the matrimonial home.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_4"></a>4 In accordance with directions, Plaintiff’s counsel also attended personally at the matrimonial home on 12 July 2024 to serve on the Defendant:</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_4-p2_a"></a>(a) the Plaintiff’s Fact and Position Sheet;</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_4-p2_b"></a>(b) the Plaintiff’s Written Submissions (which indicated the orders that the Plaintiff sought, including that the matrimonial home be transferred to her with no consideration to the Defendant); <span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_2" id="Ftn_2_1"><sup>[note: 2]</sup></a></span></p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_4-p2_c"></a>(c) the Plaintiff’s Bundle of Authorities; and</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_4-p2_d"></a>(d) The Court’s Registrar’s Notice dated 3 July 2024, which included the administrative login details for the remote hearing on the ancillary matters on 17 July 2024.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_3" id="Ftn_3_1"><sup>[note: 3]</sup></a></span> The Notice also included the following paragraph in bold:</p> <p class="Judg-Quote-2"> <b>if a party does not log in for the hearing via Zoom, that party will be marked as absent and the Court will proceed with the hearing with the attending party only and orders/directions may be made in the absence of that party</b>;</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_5"></a>5 Plaintiff’s counsel was greeted by a young man who appeared to be the Defendant’s son-in-law. The young man informed counsel that the Defendant was sleeping. Plaintiff’s counsel then handed over the aforementioned documents to the young man.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_4" id="Ftn_4_1"><sup>[note: 4]</sup></a></span> I pause here to note that there is nothing improper about this, because personal service is <em>not</em> required for these documents. However, the exchange confirms that the Defendant was living at the matrimonial home.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_6"></a>6 Despite the above, the Defendant failed to turn up at the hearing on 17 July 2024. I thus proceeded to make orders.</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-1">Decision</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_7"></a>7 I applied the approach in <em>ANJ v ANK</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/SLR/17925-SSP.xml')">[2015] 4 SLR 1043</a>.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_8"></a>8 The asset pool is as follows:</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id=""></a> <b>Joint assets</b> </p> <table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="Judg-2-tblr" frame="all" pgwide="1"><colgroup><col width="16.7%"><col width="50.2%"><col width="33.1%"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>S/N</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Asset</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Value</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">1</p> </td><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Matrimonial Home</p> </td><td align="left" class="" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>455,000</b> </p> </td></tr></tbody></table><br clear="left"><br clear="left"> <p class="Judg-2"><a id=""></a> <b>Plaintiff’s assets</b> </p> <table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="Judg-2-tblr" frame="all" pgwide="1"><colgroup><col width="16.7%"><col width="50.2%"><col width="33.1%"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>S/N</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Asset</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Value</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">1</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">POSB account</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">3,784.02<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_5" id="Ftn_5_1"><sup>[note: 5]</sup></a></span></p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">2</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Maybank account</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">12,338.70<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_6" id="Ftn_6_1"><sup>[note: 6]</sup></a></span></p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">3</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">OCBC account</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">13,127.44<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_7" id="Ftn_7_1"><sup>[note: 7]</sup></a></span></p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">4</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">AIA policy</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">35,173.74<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_8" id="Ftn_8_1"><sup>[note: 8]</sup></a></span></p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">5</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">CPF accounts</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">137,509.46<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_9" id="Ftn_9_1"><sup>[note: 9]</sup></a></span></p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="r" colspan="2" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Total</p> </td><td align="left" class="" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>201,933.36</b> </p> </td></tr></tbody></table><br clear="left"><br clear="left"> <p class="Judg-2"><a id=""></a> <b>Defendant’s assets</b> </p> <table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="Judg-2-tblr" frame="all" pgwide="1"><colgroup><col width="16.7%"><col width="50.2%"><col width="33.1%"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">S/N </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Asset</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Value</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">1</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">POSB Savings Account</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">26,110.96<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_10" id="Ftn_10_1"><sup>[note: 10]</sup></a></span></p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">2</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">POSB SRS</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">17,300.15<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_11" id="Ftn_11_1"><sup>[note: 11]</sup></a></span></p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">3</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">DBS Securities</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">29,442.00<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_12" id="Ftn_12_1"><sup>[note: 12]</sup></a></span></p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">4</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">UOB Investment T Bills</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">99,053.00<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_13" id="Ftn_13_1"><sup>[note: 13]</sup></a></span></p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">5</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">UOB Bond Trade Confirmation</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">94,190.40<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_14" id="Ftn_14_1"><sup>[note: 14]</sup></a></span></p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">6</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">CPF accounts</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">607,042.79<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_15" id="Ftn_15_1"><sup>[note: 15]</sup></a></span></p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="r" colspan="2" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Total</p> </td><td align="left" class="" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>873,139.30</b> </p> </td></tr></tbody></table><br clear="left"><br clear="left"> <p class="Judg-2"><a id=""></a> <b>Total value: $1,530.072.66</b> </p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_9"></a>9 The Plaintiff candidly accepted that she did not contribute financially to the acquisition of assets, aside from her own personal assets. Thus, her share of direct financial contributions was 13.2%.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_10"></a>10 I next determined the parties’ ratio of indirect contributions. The Plaintiff became a stay-at-home mother about one year after the marriage. She cared for the children and did the housework, while receiving a sum of $500 from the Defendant monthly. When the children were older, the Defendant wanted the Plaintiff to return to the workforce, which she did in 2011. Notwithstanding that, the Plaintiff continued to do all the housework. The Plaintiff also cared for the Defendant when he was hospitalised.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_16" id="Ftn_16_1"><sup>[note: 16]</sup></a></span> As the Plaintiff’s evidence was essentially undisputed, I accepted it. Bearing in mind the Plaintiff’s tremendous indirect contributions as a housewife and even after she started working, I attributed a ratio of 80:20 for indirect contributions in the Plaintiff’s favour. In my view, this ratio also fairly recognises the Defendant’s indirect financial contributions.</p> <table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="Judg-2-tblr" frame="all" pgwide="1"><colgroup><col width="33.9467893578716%"><col width="32.626525305061%"><col width="33.4266853370674%"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Contributions</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Plaintiff’s ratio</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Defendant’s ratio</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Direct </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">13.2</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">86.8</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Indirect</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">80</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">20</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Final</p> </td><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>46.6</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>53.4</b> </p> </td></tr></tbody></table><br clear="left"><br clear="left"> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_11"></a>11 The Plaintiff’s share of the total asset pool is worth $713,013.86. After deducting the value of the Plaintiff’s assets in her sole name, the balance due to her from the Defendant is $511,080.50. As the Defendant had failed to participate in the proceedings, I took the view that the most effective way to implement the division was for the matrimonial home to be transferred to the Plaintiff, and I so ordered. The value of the matrimonial home is $455,000, which leaves a further balance of $56,080.50 payable by the Defendant to the Plaintiff, which I also ordered.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_12"></a>12 I did not think that this was draconian or unfair to the Defendant. The Defendant has substantial sums in his CPF accounts, which he can use to purchase a property and finance his retirement. He also has substantial investments: see [8] above.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_13"></a>13 For completeness, I had doubts on the Plaintiff’s submission that the assets should be divided equally by applying the approach in <em>TNL v TNK and another appeal and another matter</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/SLR/20138-SSP.xml')">[2017] 1 SLR 609</a> (“<em>TNL</em>”) (which is applicable only to long single-income marriages), given that the Plaintiff worked for a substantial part of the marriage and was earning more than a token sum. Nevertheless, I was of the view that the outcome would not have been significantly different regardless of the approach adopted. It is important to note that the Court in <em>TNL</em> did not <em>mandate</em> equal division in all long single-income marriages; it spoke of a trend where the Courts were <em>inclined towards</em> equal division in such cases. Thus, the High Court in <em>UBM v UBN</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/SLR/20878-SSP.xml')">[2017] 4 SLR 921</a> observed at [70]:</p> <p class="Judg-Quote-1">As noted by the Court of Appeal in <em>TNL v TNK</em> (at [38] to [42]), the courts have been inclined towards equal division in a number of cases involving long Single-Income Marriages. I have observed that in precedents identified by the Court of Appeal in decisions before TNL v TNK (see [42]–[44]) above, the proportion of division in long marriages where there were children tend to be around 35–50%</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_14"></a>14 The final ratio in this case falls squarely within in this range.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_15"></a>15 I also observe that because the Defendant did not participate in these proceedings, the Defendant did not file an affidavit of assets and means to disclose all his assets. Thus, there is a possibility that the list of assets above, which was compiled from the documents that the Plaintiff could obtain herself, may not be complete. To be clear, I did <b><u>not</u></b> award an uplift to the Plaintiff’s share on this basis, because I was not addressed on this point, but I mention this to provide further context to show that the division of the known assets is not unfair to the Defendant.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_16"></a>16 As the Plaintiff will receive a sizeable share of the assets, I declined to order spousal maintenance. The Plaintiff did not appeal against this aspect of my decision.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_17"></a>17 I also ordered costs fixed at $3,000 to be paid by the Defendant to the Plaintiff.</p> <hr align="left" size="1" width="33%"><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_1_1" id="Ftn_1">[note: 1]</a></sup>Affidavit of service filed 16 November 2023.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_2_1" id="Ftn_2">[note: 2]</a></sup>Written submissions at para 35.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_3_1" id="Ftn_3">[note: 3]</a></sup>Affidavit of service filed 12 July 2024.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_4_1" id="Ftn_4">[note: 4]</a></sup>Ibid.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_5_1" id="Ftn_5">[note: 5]</a></sup>AOM at p 14.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_6_1" id="Ftn_6">[note: 6]</a></sup>AOM at p 19.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_7_1" id="Ftn_7">[note: 7]</a></sup>AOM at p 16.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_8_1" id="Ftn_8">[note: 8]</a></sup>AOM at p 10.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_9_1" id="Ftn_9">[note: 9]</a></sup>AOM at p 20.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_10_1" id="Ftn_10">[note: 10]</a></sup>AOM at p 21A.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_11_1" id="Ftn_11">[note: 11]</a></sup>Ibid.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_12_1" id="Ftn_12">[note: 12]</a></sup>AOM at p 26.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_13_1" id="Ftn_13">[note: 13]</a></sup>AOM at p 27.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_14_1" id="Ftn_14">[note: 14]</a></sup>AOM at p 30.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_15_1" id="Ftn_15">[note: 15]</a></sup>AOM at p 31.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_16_1" id="Ftn_16">[note: 16]</a></sup>AOM at para 18.</p></div></content></root> | 8ff721d87c704505ec859e322c97cd24fd0ab740 |
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