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Media Release: Family Justice Courts Celebrate 10th Anniversary and Launch of Therapeutic Justice Model

Media Release

Family Justice Courts Celebrate 10th Anniversary and Launch of Therapeutic Justice Model

1. 2024 marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Family Justice Courts (FJC). The FJC commemorated this milestone with a celebration at the new FJC building at the Octagon, and launch of the FJC Therapeutic Justice Model, on 21 October 2024. The move to the new FJC Building has been planned for later this year, and the 10th Anniversary celebration was the first event to be held at the new FJC Building.

FJC to move to the “Octagon”

2. By the end of November this year, all FJC operations will be consolidated at the Octagon. The Octagon was built in the 1970s and gazetted as a conserved building on 10 July 2013. The octagonal shape of the building presents the same view from the front and back, an architectural metaphor for how everyone is equal in the eyes of the law. It was formerly the State Courts Building and has undergone a refurbishment, with its TOP issued recently. More details will be shared in early December 2024.

10th anniversary of the FJC

3. The FJC was established on 1 October 2014 as a separate judicial body under the Family Justice Act, with the purpose of administering justice to families in need and enhancing access to justice. The FJC is led by a Presiding Judge, and comprises the Family Division of the High Court, the Family Courts and the Youth Courts. It hears cases relating to divorce, maintenance, family violence, adoption and guardianship, youth offender, care and protection, probate, mental capacity, and vulnerable adults. Over the years, the FJC has achieved several key milestones, notably the reforms to court processes to allow for a judge-led approach and the introduction of a simplified divorce track in 2015 (Refer to Annex A for the Factsheet on FJC Milestones).

4. This year, FJC’s move into the Octagon will see an expansion in its capacity to meet its caseload, with 25 courtrooms and 52 chambers. Together with enhanced processes, procedures and practices grounded in therapeutic justice (TJ), the FJC will be poised to better serve families in need.

Launch of Therapeutic Justice Model

5. TJ at the FJC is about helping families accept the past and move towards their best possible future. It involves a judge-led process where parties and their lawyers, alongside with other professionals, work together to find timely and enduring solutions to the family’s disagreements, within the framework of the law.

6. TJ was formally adopted by FJC as its “lens of care” in 2020. This year, the FJC has consulted stakeholders, including representatives from the Bench, the Bar, academia, government ministries and departments, specialists, and volunteers from the family justice ecosystem, to develop the FJC TJ Model.

7. The FJC TJ Model will be launched as part of the FJC’s 10th anniversary celebrations. The FJC TJ Model is designed specifically with our court processes and practice, as well as our socio-cultural context in mind. It is a living document that will continue to evolve and be refined over time. (see Annex B “Family Justice Courts Therapeutic Justice Model (TJ Model) - Abridged Version and TJ Logo” and Annex C for an Infographics presentation of the TJ Model).

8. The Honourable the Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon said: “Our family justice system would not be where it is today without the strong support that we have received from our stakeholders. By working closely together, we are not only developing a unique approach to resolve family disputes, but we are also building, from the ground up, the institutions and support networks that will be necessary for the effective administration of family justice.”.

9. The Presiding Judge of the Family Justice Courts, Justice Teh Hwee Hwee, articulated the objectives of TJ and its further integration into the court process: “For the individuals and families who come through the doors of the FJC, we want to instil in them a sense of hope and support them on their journey of healing and transformation, ultimately paving the way for a brighter future.”.

Issued by: SG Courts
21 October 2024

About SG Courts

The Singapore Courts - comprising the Supreme Court, State Courts and Family Justice Courts - is one of the three constitutional pillars of government in Singapore. Known collectively as SG Courts, we are integrated and coordinated to serve as one judiciary. As an organ of state, the judiciary’s function is to independently administer justice. Headed by the Chief Justice, we are a forward-looking, innovative and trusted judiciary. Built on judicial professionalism and transparency, we maintain the highest standards of integrity in safeguarding our community. We pledge to ensure equal and continuous access to justice, and we are committed to deliver justice that is fair and impartial.

About Family Justice Courts

Established in 2014, the Family Justice Courts (FJC) are a restructure of our Court system to better serve litigants by bringing together all family related work under a specialised body of courts. The FJC are led by the Presiding Judge of the FJC, and comprises the Family Division of the High Court, the Family Courts and the Youth Courts. It hears cases relating to divorce, maintenance, family violence, adoption and guardianship, youth, probate, mental capacity and vulnerable adults. As family disputes differ from legal disputes, the FJC applies the principles of Therapeutic Justice, which is an approach rooted in interest-based problem-solving for the family rather than fault-finding between parties. Guided by our mission to make justice accessible to families and youth through effective counselling, mediation and adjudication, we are committed to deliver justice that protects, empowers and restores.

For more information, please visit www.judiciary.gov.sg.

Annex A: Factsheet for FJC Milestones

No	Period	Milestones
1	Oct-14	Focused on constructive problem-solving to resolve family disputes since establishment
2	Oct-14	Judge-led approach introduced for more robust case management
3	Oct-14	Consolidation of all procedural rules as the Family Justice Rules
4	Oct-14	Child Representative Scheme launched to better protect children's interests
5	Oct-14	Mandatory counselling/mediation in divorce cases with children under 21 years old
6	Jan-15	Simplified Divorce Track for parties who agree on all matters before filing
7	Aug-15	Family conferences introduced in contested care and protection proceedings
8	Sep-16	Implementation of evidenced based child-inclusive approach in Family Dispute Resolution mediation and counselling
9	Nov-16	Parenting Coordinators to provide practical help to parents on access issues
10	Jul-17	Integrated Family Application Management System launched for maintenance and family violence applications
11	Jul-17	Family Protection Centre as a one-stop centre for family violence matters
12	Oct-19	Simplified track for straightforward and uncontested deputyship applications
13	Nov-21	Divorce eService launched to assist self-represented persons in filing papers in uncontested divorce applications
14	Dec-21	Family Justice @ Heartlands - Inaugural outreach programme in partnership with MSF and Law Society
15	Jan-22	A Panel of Therapeutic Specialists (POTS) formed to provide therapeutic services to families in need
16	Jun-22 (Pilot)	Electronic Template Statements to assist self-represented persons in maintenance applications
17	Sep-22	Panel of Financial Experts (POFE) scheme to assist courts with objective valuations of assets
18	Apr-23	Probate eService to facilitate online applications for grants of probate
19	Sep-23	Creation of specialist courts where specialised judges hear cases focusing on vulnerable parties
20	Sep-23	Establishment of the TJ Transformation Office
21	Dec-23	Roll out of the first and limited phase of new TJ triage processes: Joint Triage Checklist TJ Cooperative Conference Assignment of cases to Teams= Establishment of TJ Internal Committee (comprising FJC’s leadership team, judicial officers and directors of all divisions)
22	Mar-24	Establishment of External TJ Consultative Committee (comprising representatives from the Bench, the Bar, academia, government ministries and departments, specialists, and volunteers from the family justice ecosystem)
23	Oct-24	Family Justice Rules 2024 (FJR 2024) to simplify rules, streamlines processes and allow greater judicial control over family proceedings
24	Oct-24	Launch of the FJC TJ Model at the FJC’s 10th Anniversary celebration
25	Nov-24	Move to Octagon - centralisation of services in one location