Protecting Your Future, Your Assets and Your Children.
Clear Advice and Firm Advocacy from Our Singapore Family Lawyers.
How we work with you through a divorce.
Every marriage and every family is different, and so is every case. We know the law and how the Family Justice Courts apply it. We develop a plan for your circumstances and guide you towards your aims.
Our divorce lawyers have worked alongside Senior Counsel and have acted in complex, high-value matters, both through settlement and in court. We aim to avoid unnecessary litigation, and when a case must go to court, we make sure you are properly represented.
Divorce proceedings bring emotional and financial strain. We respond to your queries promptly, speak plainly and give our recommendations in a clear and concise way. Some clients are prepared to incur more time to go through every technical detail, while others simply want the bottom line; we work with you depending on your preference.
We understand the underlying issues and concerns that divorcing couples are going through. We anticipate problems and risks before they arise and develop a clear plan from day one. This minimises surprises and keeps you informed and prepared at every stage of the proceedings.
We listen without judgment. We take the time to understand what matters to you, and we make sure your views are heard at every stage.
We put your child's best interests first in our advice, to help you and your ex-spouse co-parent effectively and arrive at sensible and practical arrangements relating to custody, care and control, access and maintenance.
Awards for our family law
practice.
How to get started with us, in four steps.
How It Works
Our Lawyers
Jacqueline founded Jacque Law after a decade as a Partner at a large Singapore law firm, where she worked on high-profile, high-value cases. She secured a S$30 million+ divorce settlement, partnered with U.S. counsel on a cross-border prenuptial agreement covering over US$1 billion in assets, and obtained the revocation of a sibling's enduring power of attorney over property and personal affairs.
Mao Lin was admitted as an Advocate and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Singapore in 2017, and is Counsel with the Firm. He graduated from Monash University with a Bachelor of Laws with First Class Honours in 2015. Before joining Jacque Law LLC, Mao Lin trained and worked with Senior Counsel in a dispute resolution practice on appeals, trials and applications before the Singapore Court of Appeal, the Singapore International Commercial Court and the High Court. Mao Lin has appeared as lead counsel in trials before the High Court. His areas of practice include matrimonial and family law, probate (contentious and non-contentious), medical negligence and general commercial disputes. In the Family Justice Courts, he has represented clients in contested divorce applications, family court mediations and disputes arising under the Mental Capacity Act. He has also successfully acted for parties in both applying for and resisting Personal Protection Orders in the Family Justice Courts after contested trials.
Jerold graduated from the University of Birmingham in 2021 with a Bachelor of Laws with First Class Honours, and was admitted as an Advocate and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Singapore in 2023. Believing that justice should be available to all, Jerold has a personal interest in private client matters, where he feels he can make a difference. He has a keen interest in medical negligence matters and has been involved in medical negligence claims. He has also assisted in family law matters, including contentious trust and probate matters.
Wei Chiat graduated from the University of Bristol with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) in 2019 and was called to the Singapore Bar as an Advocate and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Singapore in 2021. Wei Chiat has a diverse practice that spans civil and commercial litigation, including shareholder disputes and medical negligence claims. He has also represented clients on a wide range of family matters, both contentious and non-contentious, including child maintenance, spousal maintenance and post-nuptial agreements. In particular, Wei Chiat represented a husband in a two-day maintenance trial which led to the dismissal of the spousal claim for maintenance.
Before a divorce can be filed in Singapore, three conditions apply:
You generally cannot file within the first three years, unless the court gives permission on the ground of exceptional hardship or exceptional depravity (section 94, Women's Charter).
At least one spouse must be domiciled in Singapore, or habitually resident here for the three years before filing (section 93).
You must show that the marriage has irretrievably broken down (sections 95 and 95A), through one of the six facts below.
The case then runs in two stages. First, the court decides whether to grant the divorce and issues an Interim Judgment. Second, it deals with the ancillary matters: custody, care and control and access for the children, maintenance, and the division of matrimonial assets. The Interim Judgment can be made final no earlier than three months after it is granted, unless the court shortens that period (section 99).
A lawyer can shape both stages: which fact to rely on, whether the case can go on the simplified track, and how to present your position on the children and your finances. For the full steps and documents, read our guide to the divorce process in Singapore.
If you are Muslim, the Administration of Muslim Law Act and the Syariah Court apply. This page covers civil divorce only. Our firm does not practice or advise on Syariah law.
Under section 95A of the Women's Charter, you show that the marriage has irretrievably broken down through one of six facts. Proving each fact requires different elements, which our divorce process guide explains.
Your spouse has committed adultery and you find it intolerable to live with him or her.
Your spouse has behaved in such a way that you cannot reasonably be expected to live with him or her.
Your spouse has deserted you for a continuous period of at least two years before the application for divorce.
You have lived apart for at least three years immediately before the application for divorce and your spouse consents to a divorce, or you have lived apart for at least four years (although your spouse has not consented to a divorce).
You and your spouse can both agree in writing that the marriage has irretrievably broken down, without citing fault or a period of separation. You must state your efforts made to reconcile, and show that there is no reasonable possibility of reconciliation.
If you and your spouse agree that the marriage has broken down, the case can start on the simplified track, even if some ancillary matters are still being worked out.
If you cannot agree on the divorce before filing, the case proceeds on the normal track.
Jacque Law LLC is a Singapore law firm whose divorce lawyers act for clients in uncontested and contested divorces, divorce by mutual agreement and the ancillary matters that follow: the children, maintenance and the division of matrimonial assets.
A divorce lawyer advises you on how you can file for a divorce, prepares and files the necessary court papers, negotiates the terms with your former spouse and represents you at mediation and in court. The recommended approach depends on the facts of your case. We will take your instructions and walk you through the process at the first consultation.
We act for you whether you are filing for divorce or responding to divorce papers, from the first consultation to the Court issuing a Final Judgment.
When you and your spouse agree that the marriage has broken down, the case can proceed on the simplified track, with or without a full agreement on the ancillary matters. We check that the terms protect you, draft the agreement and the court papers, and deal with the filing. If everything is agreed and the papers are in order, neither of you needs to attend the hearing. See our guide to uncontested divorce.
When the divorce itself is disputed, the case proceeds on the normal track. As your contested divorce lawyers, we prepare your case and the supporting evidence, represent you at mediation and counselling sessions at the Family Justice Courts, and argue your case at hearings and trial if settlement is not possible. Read what to expect in a contested divorce.
You and your spouse can rely on your joint agreement that the marriage has broken down, instead of fault or separation. We help you prepare the written agreement the court requires. Learn more about divorce by mutual agreement.
We advise and act on custody, care and control, and access, the division of matrimonial assets, including HDB flats, CPF, businesses and overseas property, and child and spousal maintenance.
We also act in Personal Protection Order proceedings and in applications to vary or enforce orders after the divorce.
Confirms you can file, advises on the fact to rely on and the track, and on steps to avoid, such as signing terms before taking advice
Prepares and files the originating application or your response, and the supporting documents
Exchanges proposals with your spouse or their lawyer, and represents you at mediation and counselling at the Family Justice Courts
Presents your case on the divorce and the ancillary matters
Advises on carrying out the orders, and on variation or enforcement if circumstances change
What to expect, from the first consultation to Final Judgment
The first meeting is confidential. We listen to your situation, review the documents you bring and explain your options, the steps ahead and the likely costs. It helps to bring:
If you do not have everything, we can still advise you on the next steps.
We explain how we charge and depending on the scope of facts, provide estimates if possible, confirm them in an engagement letter, and tell you early if the scope of the work changes.
You deal directly with the lawyer handling your matter. We keep you informed at each stage, send you drafts before anything is filed, and discuss settlement offers with you before we respond. Where agreement is possible, we work towards it; where it is not, we prepare for court.
Orders on maintenance and the children can be varied if circumstances change materially, and the court can enforce orders that are not followed. We advise on both.
What our clients say about working with us.
Ideally before you file or respond to divorce papers, and before you move out of the matrimonial home or sign any agreement with your spouse. Early advice helps you avoid steps that could weaken your position on the children, maintenance or assets.
Yes. The Family Justice Courts do not require you to have a lawyer. A lawyer is strongly recommended where there are children, significant assets or disputed issues, because terms that are agreed or ordered can be difficult to change later. A lawyer advises on your eligibility, prepares the court papers, negotiates the ancillary matters and represents you at mediation and hearings.
It depends mainly on whether the divorce is uncontested or contested, and on how many issues are disputed. An uncontested divorce involves less work than a case where the children, maintenance or assets go to trial. We explain our fees and the likely costs at the first consultation.
A divorce on the simplified track may take about four months to conclude, according to the Family Justice Courts. By law, the Interim Judgment can be made final no earlier than three months after it is granted, unless the court shortens that period. A contested divorce takes longer, and the timeline depends on how many issues are disputed and whether they settle.
Speak to a lawyer promptly, because there are deadlines to respond. We will advise you on whether to agree to or contest the divorce, and on your position on the ancillary matters.
The court decides on the basis of the child's welfare. Custody is the right to make major decisions for the child, care and control decides who the child lives with day to day, and access is the time the other parent spends with the child. Read more about child custody in Singapore.
Divorce ends the marriage and leaves both of you free to remarry. Judicial separation is a court order that means you are no longer obliged to live together, but you remain married. See our page on separation.
Yes. What you tell us at the consultation is kept private and confidential, whether or not you go on to engage us.
Viewing this website or submitting an enquiry does not create a lawyer-client relationship, which is only established after a formal engagement letter is signed. Every divorce case is different, and past results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Information sent through this website is not protected by legal privilege until a formal relationship is established. Legal matters can be time-sensitive. The information on this page relates to Singapore law; if you are outside Singapore, please consult a qualified lawyer in your jurisdiction.
