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Respond to a matrimonial application for divorce (normal track)
Receiving matrimonial application for divorce
If you or your lawyer (if any) have received the following documents, it means that your spouse has started divorce proceedings against you:
| Originating Application for Divorce | Form 2A, Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2024 (DOCX, 1350KB) Explains the facts of how your marriage has irretrievably broken down and details of any pending bankruptcy proceedings (if applicable). States the relief for ancillary matters the applicant is seeking from you. |
| Notice of Proceedings (General) | Form 71A, Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2024 (DOCX, 41 KB) |
| Certificate of completion for the Mandatory Co-Parenting Programme (CPP) for the applicant (if any) | It is compulsory for the applicant to attend the Mandatory Co-Parenting Programme (CPP) conducted by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) before filing a matrimonial application for divorce if the parties have children under 21 years of age.
Refer to infographic (PDF, 28 KB) for more information on the requirements of the CPP. |
The forms below only apply to divorce applications commenced before 15 October 2024.
The Writ for Divorce | Form 3, Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2015 (DOCX, 20 KB) |
The Statement of Claim | Form 6, Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2015 (DOCX, 51KB) A Statement of Claim states the relief for ancillary matters the plaintiff is seeking from you. |
The Statement of Particulars | Form 8, Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2015 (DOCX, 18 KB). A Statement of Particulars explains the facts of how your marriage has irretrievably broken down (as stated in the Statement of Claim) and details of any pending bankruptcy proceedings (if applicable). |
(If you have any children under 21 years of age) The Plaintiff's Proposed Parenting Plan Form | Form 11, Family Justice Practice Directions 2015 (DOCX, 21 KB).
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Certificate of completion for the Mandatory Co-Parenting Programme (CPP) | It is compulsory for the plaintiff to attend the Mandatory Co-Parenting Programme (CPP) conducted by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) before filing for divorce if the parties have children under 21 years of age.
Refer to infographic (PDF, 28 KB) for more information on the requirements of the CPP. |
(If you own a Housing & Development Board (HDB) flat with the plaintiff) The Plaintiff's Proposed Matrimonial Property Plan Form | Form 14, Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2015 (DOCX, 21 KB) You may wish to contact the HDB on your options regarding the flat. |
The Memorandum of Appearance (Defendant) Form | Form 18, Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2015 (DOCX, 20 KB) |
The Acknowledgment of Service (Defendant) Form | Form 17, Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2015 (DOCX, 39 KB) |
Note
A matrimonial application for divorce on a normal track may take 12 to 18 months to conclude, is much more expensive compared to a matrimonial application for divorce on a simplified track and comes at a great personal cost to everyone involved.
It is therefore best for parties (and their children) if they can agree on how to move forward with a divorce before filing the matrimonial application for divorce with the court.
Respond to a matrimonial application for divorce on a normal track
If you are the party against whom the matrimonial application for divorce is filed, you are the respondent or defendant.
Your spouse is the applicant or plaintiff. Refer to File a matrimonial application for divorce (normal track) instead if you intend to file the matrimonial application for divorce.
Before filing
Understand the requirements for divorce
Find out if you are eligible to file for divorce in the Family Courts, the facts you can rely on in support of your divorce and the ancillary matters relating to the divorce you have to consider.
Upon receiving matrimonial application for divorce
Respond to the matrimonial application for divorce
Understand what you should do after the matrimonial application for divorce has been served on you.
Submit Joint Triage Checklist
You will be notified by the court to submit a Joint Triage Checklist. This is an online questionnaire which serves to help the court better understand your family’s current situation.
After request for a trial or hearing date
At a divorce hearing
Depending on how you respond to the matrimonial application for divorce, the court will schedule a contested or uncontested divorce hearing. If the court grants the divorce at the hearing, the applicant will then extract the Interim Judgment.
Attend mediation and counselling, if required
The court will direct you and the applicant to attend mediation and counselling at the Family Dispute Resolution (FDR) Division if you have any child under the age of 21.
Going to court for ancillary matters proceedings
Attend an ancillary matters case conference
The second stage of your divorce case takes place when the court schedules a case conference for the ancillary matters that you and the applicant cannot agree upon.
Attend an ancillary matters hearing
Once all the necessary documents are filed, the case will proceed for an ancillary matters hearing.
After the court makes the orders for ancillary matters
File an appeal, if needed
If you are not satisfied with the orders made by the court during the ancillary matters hearing, you may file an appeal to the Family Division of the High Court within 14 days of the date of the order.
2024/11/01
Note
You do not need to have a lawyer in a divorce case. However, you may choose to engage one if you need independent legal advice on the merits of your case or the divorce process.
The courts are not able to provide legal advice or recommend lawyers. Find out where to get help.
Resources
For filings commenced on or after 15 October 2024, refer to:
- Divorce in Singapore: the essentials (PDF, 519 KB).
- Divorce in Singapore: processes in a glance (PDF, 442 KB).
- Specimen Government Medical Certificate (DOCX, 17 KB) for absence from court attendance.
Legislation associated with this topic includes:
- Part 10 of the Women's Charter.
- Family Justice Act.
- For filings commenced on or after 15 October 2024: Part 2 of the Family Justice (General) Rules 2024.
- For filings commenced before 15 October 2024: Part 5 of Division 2 of the Family Justice Rules 2014.
- For filings commenced on or after 15 October 2024: Refer to Part 2 of the Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2024 for proceedings for the dissolution of marriage under Part 10 of the Women's Charter.
- For filings commenced before 15 October 2024: Refer to Part VI of the Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2015 for proceedings for the dissolution of marriage under Part 10 of Women’s Charter.
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