SMU Lexicon: A Non-parent’s Maintenance Obligation

Reading Time: 7 minutesIntroduction Imagine you marry someone with a child from a prior relationship. Initially, you do not mind caring for this child. Then, your marriage sours and you no longer want anything to do with your spouse or the child. However, can your initial conduct of caring for the child unknowingly saddle you with a legal […]

SMU Lexicon: Reversing a Bankrupt’s Transfer

Reading Time: 8 minutesIntroduction Let’s say you are an investor. You enter a joint investment with a friend and lend him $100,000. Sadly, the joint venture fails, and to make matters worse, your friend has gone bankrupt and transferred half of your money to his wife. Can you get your money back? Unfortunately, once he is declared bankrupt, […]

SMU Lexicon: Love gone cold – What does it mean for a marriage to be voidable and When does it happen?

Reading Time: 7 minutesIntroduction “Newly-wed man lied to court about not sleeping with wife to save money on divorce proceedings” – this was the headline of a local news article where a man, Daryl, claimed that his marriage was voidable and should be annulled since his wife refused to consummate it.[1] One who is unaware of the law […]

SMU Lexicon: Breaking the Cycle of At-Risk Behaviour in Youths – Singapore’s 2020 Family Guidance Order

Reading Time: 12 minutesIntroduction It is no secret that children and youths are often rowdy and mischievous. The real problem arises when mischief turns into criminal activity. Faced with extreme troublemakers who may have stepped foot into illegality, what can parents do? Children and young persons (“CYPs”) who engage in behaviour that puts them at risk of committing […]

Workplace anti-discrimination guidelines to be legislated in Singapore

Reading Time: 5 minutesIn the August 2021 National Day Rally, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong stated that Singapore would be taking steps to enshrine into law the current workplace anti-discrimination guidelines. To date, there are only guidelines regarding fair treatment in the workplace by the Tripartite Alliance for Fair & Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP). Singapore does not currently […]

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SMU Lexicon: Fair Enough? An Examination of Existing Legal Limits on Prosecutorial Discretion

Reading Time: 7 minutesIntroduction The story of Ms Parti Liyani is one of a harrowing journey through the criminal justice system, resulting in eventual victory, but at great cost. In March 2019, Ms Liyani stood trial for four theft-related charges and was found guilty of all four charges. On appeal, it was found that the Prosecution had led […]

When A Home Is Not A Home

Reading Time: 9 minutesThe matrimonial home occupies a very special place in the family. During the marriage, it is the cradle of the family. It is where the family starts its day, and where it ends its day. It is where the family breaks bread, and it is where bonds are made. Accordingly, the matrimonial home also occupies […]

Wang Lee Hom’s divorce – 6 ways it differs from usual divorce proceedings and key takeaways.

Reading Time: 8 minutesOn 15 December 2021, celebrity Mandopop singer Wang Lee Hom announced on social media that he and his soon-to-be ex-wife, Lee Jinglei, were getting divorced. This began a war of words between Wang and Lee, and even between their respective friends and family, that lasted about a week before Wang apologised publicly to Lee and […]

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Parliament amends Women’s Charter to introduce divorce by mutual agreement option

Reading Time: 3 minutesThe Singapore Parliament amended the Women’s Charter on 10 January 2022, introducing a new Divorce by Mutual Agreement (DMA) reason in divorce proceedings. The change is meant to provide a more amicable option for couples to split up legally. The DMA reason adds a new route for couples to mutually agree that their marriage has broken […]

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4 Common Types of Scams to Avoid

Reading Time: 5 minutesNearly 470 OCBC Bank customers lost at least $8.5 million to a spate of SMS phishing scams last month. Other banks such as DBS and UOB recently warned of similar scams impersonating bank employees. Oftentimes, scammers are difficult to catch because many use cunning methods. They can immediately dispose of the fake websites, IP addresses, […]

HSA seizes biggest haul of over $2m worth of e-vaporisers and related components

Reading Time: 3 minutesThe Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has seized more than $2 million worth of e-vaporisers and related components after an operation conducted on October 11 2021. It is the largest seizure of tobacco products by the HSA, in terms of the volume and street value of the e-vaporisers, the authority added. The authority said it acted […]