Family Justice Act 2014

Family Justice Act 2014

2020 REVISED EDITION

This revised edition incorporates all amendments up to and including 1 December 2021 and comes into operation on 31 December 2021

An Act relating to the constitution, jurisdiction and powers of the Family Justice Courts and the administration of justice therein.

[1 October 2014: Parts 1 to 4, Divisions 1 and 2 of Part 5, sections 46, 47(1), (4), (9), (10), (11), (12) and (13) and the Schedule ;

1 January 2015: Sections 47(2), (3), (5), (6), (7) and (8) ]

PART 1

PRELIMINARY

Short title

1.  This Act is the Family Justice Act 2014.

Interpretation

2.—(1)  In this Act —

“alternative dispute resolution process” means a process by which a dispute (or any issue in the dispute) is resolved other than by litigation, including by mediation, arbitration, conciliation or neutral evaluation;

[Act 18 of 2023 wef 31/01/2024]

“District Judge” means a District Judge appointed under section 9(1) of the State Courts Act 1970;

“Family Justice Rules” means the Family Justice Rules made under this Act and any other written law by the Family Justice Rules Committee constituted under section 46(1);

“family proceedings” means —

(a) any civil proceedings under section 53 of the Administration of Muslim Law Act 1966;

(b) any civil proceedings under the Adoption of Children Act 2022;

[Act 20 of 2022 wef 15/10/2024]

(c) any civil proceedings under the Guardianship of Infants Act 1934;

(d) any civil proceedings under the Inheritance (Family Provision) Act 1966;

(e) any civil proceedings under the International Child Abduction Act 2010;

(f) any civil proceedings for the distribution of an intestate estate in accordance with the Intestate Succession Act 1967;

(g) any civil proceedings under the Legitimacy Act 1934;

(h) any civil proceedings under section 10 of the Maintenance of Parents Act 1995;

(i) [Deleted by Act 16 of 2016]

(j) any civil proceedings under the Maintenance Orders (Reciprocal Enforcement) Act 1975;

(k) any civil proceedings under the Mental Capacity Act 2008;

(l) any civil proceedings under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) Act 2008;

(m) any civil proceedings under the Status of Children (Assisted Reproduction Technology) Act 2013;

(n) any civil proceedings under section 17A(2) of the Supreme Court of Judicature Act 1969;

(o) any civil proceedings under the Voluntary Sterilisation Act 1974;

(oa) any civil or quasi‑criminal proceedings under the Vulnerable Adults Act 2018;

(p) any civil or quasi-criminal proceedings under the Women’s Charter 1961;

(q) on or after 1 January 2015, any civil proceedings under the Probate and Administration Act 1934; and

(r) on or after 1 December 2016, any civil proceedings under the Wills Act 1838;

“family support programme or activity” means any programme or activity carried out for the purpose of addressing or resolving any relationship issue or relationship problem between spouses or former spouses, between siblings or between parent and child;

“judicial officer” means a District Judge or Magistrate who is designated as a judge of the Family Court or a judge of the Youth Court, or a Registrar;

“Magistrate” means a Magistrate appointed under section 10(1) of the State Courts Act 1970;

“mediation” means a process by which one or more mediators (whether court‑appointed mediators or otherwise) assist the parties to a dispute by —

(a) facilitating an amicable settlement of the dispute or any issue in the dispute; and

(b) where an amicable settlement is reached by the parties — discussing or facilitating the carrying out of any matter pursuant to the settlement;

[Act 18 of 2023 wef 31/01/2024]

“officer”, in relation to the Family Justice Courts, means a person who is attached to the Family Justice Courts under section 17;

“registered medical practitioner” means a registered medical practitioner under the Medical Registration Act 1997 who has in force a practising certificate granted under that Act;

“Registrar” means the registrar, the deputy registrar or any assistant registrar of the Family Justice Courts;

“relevant proceedings” means any proceedings over which the Family Justice Courts exercise jurisdiction (except criminal jurisdiction);

[Act 18 of 2023 wef 14/10/2024]

“Rules of Court” means the Rules of Court made under the Supreme Court of Judicature Act 1969 and any other written law by the Rules Committee constituted under section 80(3) of that Act;

“Tribunal for the Maintenance of Parents” means the Tribunal for the Maintenance of Parents established under section 13 of the Maintenance of Parents Act 1995.

[16/2016; 27/2018; 40/2019]

[Act 18 of 2023 wef 31/01/2024]

(2)  In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, a reference to the general supervisory and revisionary jurisdiction of the General Division of the High Court is to be construed as a reference to the general supervisory and revisionary jurisdiction of the General Division of the High Court under section 27 of the Supreme Court of Judicature Act 1969, and includes a reference to all powers exercisable by the General Division of the High Court under sections 23 to 28 of that Act.

[40/2019]