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ANNOUNCEMENT

With the exit of the circuit breaker, unless otherwise directed, all Court hearings in the Family Justice Courts will be conducted by way of remote hearing through video conferencing or telephone conferencing where appropriate. Mediation and counselling sessions will likewise proceed by remote means in appropriate cases.

Please note the following:

The intake hours for both the Family Protection Centre and Maintenance Registry will be from 9am - 12pm, Monday to Friday except Public Holidays.

The Mental Capacity Act, Adoption and Probate Counter at MND Tower Block will be closed on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Public Holidays.

The Commissioner For Oaths (CFO) services will be closed, except for those who have fixed an appointment through the relevant Registries. Alternatively, deponents can approach private law firms providing CFO services as prescribed under Rule 8 of the Commissioner for Oaths Rules (Cap 322, Rule 3).

Health and safety protocols will continue to be in force to minimise the risk of the transmission of COVID-19. Please click here for more information.

In the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic and the Circuit Breaker measures put in place by the Government to counteract this health crisis, parents are reminded to discharge their responsibilities by cooperating with each other, and act sensibly and safely in all arrangements made for their child(ren). Turning to the Court should be the last resort. Parents should communicate with each other, or through their lawyers (if any), regarding existing orders relating to access. They should work together to find practical and suitable solutions to access issues, and any other child-related issues that arise, bearing in mind the best interests of their child(ren) and the need to comply with the measures put in place by the Government.

Kenneth Yap
Registrar, Family Justice Courts
7 April 2020

Child(ren) access arrangements

With the revision to the COVID-19 (temporary measures) Act 2020 on the restrictions on the movement of people, parents are allowed to transfer temporary custody or care of a child pursuant to any agreement regarding the access rights of a parent of the child, or in discharge of a legal obligation. Please refer to the regulation here.

For Court-ordered Supervised Exchange or Supervised Visits (SESV), the Divorce Support Specialist Agencies (DSSA) also provide remote access sessions through online platforms. The DSSAs have put in place safe management measures for the safety of the families and staff, which include putting staff on split-team arrangements and allowing fewer persons at the venue. This has resulted in fewer face-to-face SESV slots due to the reduced operational capacity. DSSAs will be providing a mix of face-to-face sessions with remote sessions to enable services to continue.

Congratulations to the 4 winning teams of the inaugural 'Hackathon For A Better World 2020' after 3 gruelling months of work! The Awards Day, graced by Justice Aedit Abdullah, was held virtually on 13 Oct. Read more about it here: go.gov.sg/hfabwpr2

The One Judiciary Annual Report 2019 - which sets out the achievements and priorities of the Supreme Court, the State Courts and the Family Justice Courts - has just been published.

Click here to read the report.

One Judiciary Annual Report 2019

Justice Debbie Ong’s appointment as Presiding Judge of the Family Justice Courts will be extended for another three years with effect from 1 October 2020.

Click here for the details.