Two Stages of Divorce Proceeding
Stage 1: Interim Judgment in divorce
Based on your grounds for divorce you are relying on, the Court can grant an Interim Judgement for Divorce to dissolve the marriage when it is satisfied that the marriage has broken down irretrievably. This can occur in two ways, either on an uncontested basis where your spouse agrees to the divorce per se and all ancillary matters*, or on a contested basis where you prove your case.
Stage 2: Final Judgment in Divorce
Only after the ancillary issues (children, money, division of matrimonial assets) have been agreed by both parties or decided by the Court at an Ancillary Hearing, will you be granted the Final Judgment for Divorce.
*Even if all matters are agreed upon within the first stage, the law requires parties to wait a minimum of 3 months to extract the Final Judgment. It is only after the Final Judgment is obtained are parties allowed to remarry.
The timeframe for each stage is explained in our article, “How Long is the Procedure to Divorce in Singapore“.
Mediation is offered by the Family Justice Court at both stages to help parties come to an amicable resolution to save time and costs and possible acrimony.
After Final Judgment is Ordered
Variation of a Divorce Court Order
After the final judgment is order, if parties wish to vary or make changes to the order, parties will have to apply to court to request these changes.
For assistance regarding divorce matters, do contact us to make an appointment.
