Lawyer Fees for Divorce in Singapore
Divorce can be a stressful and complicated process. You certainly do not want to spend over your budge and make the divorce an expensive and painful process.
Uncontested, Simplified Divorce in Singapore
In Singapore, generally lawyer fees for divorce in Singapore for uncontested cases are not high. Costs generally starts S$875 nett (inclusive of disbursements, Court filing fees and GST) for an online divorce to S$1,150 nett for a physical divorce.
Your divorce lawyer will prepare the draft divorce papers for you and your spouse. If all the terms are agreed, parties may proceed for signing before a Commissioner of Oaths. The signed papers will be submitted to Court and the Court will grant the divorce.
Lawyer fees for an uncontested divorce in Singapore should include all Court filing fees and the fees for the Commissioner.
Contested Divorce in Singapore- Negotiation
Lawyer fees for divorce in Singapore for contested divorces (where terms are not agreed and negotiation is required) starts from S$2,000 nett.
Your divorce lawyer will negotiate with your spouse/ your spouse’s lawyer on the terms of divorce and once a full settlement is reached, the draft divorce papers can be prepared and signed.
Again, lawyer fees for a contested divorce in Singapore should be fixed and transparent. You should not be required to pay above what you agreed on.
Contested Divorce in Singapore- Mediation
Should it be not possible to reach a full settlement with your spouse via negotiation, you may have to proceed for mediation with your spouse.
Lawyer fees for divorce in Singapore should include the following services:
- Drafting and filing of divorce papers or responding to your spouse’s divorce papers;
- Letters and emails to your spouse/ spouse’s lawyer;
- Attendance at case conference, status conferences and mediation; and
- Giving advice to you.
Most cases are resolved by the mediation stage at the latest. The reason is because both parties will know the likely outcome of the case, should it proceed to Court for hearing. Hence, there is little point to proceeding to Court for the Judge to make a decision, if the likely outcome is already known.
However, in the case that the case proceeds to Court, additional costs will be incurred for:
- Filing of further Court documents such as affidavits and written submissions;
- Court attendances;
- Formulation of strategy to fight the case in Court.
Lawyer Fees for Divorce in Singapore for Consultation
In general, divorce lawyers charge about S$150 nett for a pre-divorce consultation. At the consultation, your divorce lawyer will run through your options with you after hearing your case and situation. After receiving your options, you may can then proceed for an uncontested divorce or contested divorce, depending on whether the terms are agreed between your spouses.
Tips for Managing Lawyer Fees for Divorce in Singapore
You should have a detailed discussion with your divorce lawyer right from the start. Be sure to ask for an “all-in” cost structure, inclusive of GST, Court filing fees and other disbursements as these miscellaneous expenses can add up to a high amount.
Seek a few more opinions before committing to one lawyer as lawyers charge differently, like all professionals. You won’t regret saving money for your divorce case!
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