Litigation & Dispute Resolution
What is a Garnishee Order?
A garnishee order is an enforcement option open to a judgement creditor who has successfully won their case in the Small Claims Tribunal (SCT), the Magistrates’ Court, the District Court, or the High Court. A garnishee order is a way for a judgment creditor to obtain money owed from a debtor who won’t pay. Garnishee proceedings To obtain a garnishee order, an applicant must apply for garnishee proceedings. This is...
Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Creating an Effective Letter of Demand
A letter of demand or LOD is a simple request for the recipient to take specific action, usually within a set time. Legal action can follow if the recipient doesn’t comply with the letter’s demands but doesn’t always necessarily follow. Why send a letter of demand? It’s a fair question, and the main reason to send a letter of demand is to warn the recipient of imminent legal action unless...
Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Protection from Loan Shark Harassment
The best way to find protection from loan shark harassment is not to use them in the first place. However, sadly, life is not always that simple. Loan sharks are clever at presenting an irresistible alternative to conventional lending options. When people are under pressure, it’s easy to succumb and make the wrong choice. Dealing with loan shark harassment Loan sharks offer quick loans with few if any, checks. There...
Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Legal Options for Debt Recovery in Singapore
Singapore does not have any specific legislation for debt collection proceedings. Consequently, several options exist to recover money owed by an individual or a business. The ultimate sanction is a legal process through the courts, but this is not the only route, and may not be the most effective way to recover money owed. A lawyer can review your situation and advise accordingly on your best course of action, but...
Housing
Why Get an HDB Power of Attorney?
Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats in Singapore can be bought, sold, or rented. All these transactions require the vendor, buyer, landlord, and tenant to attend in person to sign vital legal documents to complete the transaction. If attending in person proves problematic, an alternative is to execute an HDB power of attorney. The person who owns the flat grants power to someone else to act on their behalf in...
Family Law
Guide to Adoption in Singapore
Adoption is many things; it is significant, challenging, and life-changing for the adopters, the adopted child, and their biological parents. Adoption is a process that creates a formal legal relationship between the child and their adoptive parents and dismantles any legal ties the biological parents have with their child. The process of adoption is involved and complex; it can be time-consuming as well as emotionally draining for the applicants. Who...
Litigation & Dispute Resolution
What is Lemon Law?
Lemon law is about lemons but not the citrus variety. Lemon law dates to a time when buying a car with plenty of defects from an unscrupulous trader was referred to as buying a ‘lemon’. Lemon has long been a British slang term or colloquialism for a defective item, and whilst it is rather old fashioned now – “he’s sold me a lemon” – as far as the legislation in...
Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Making a Claim – Small Claims Tribunal
The Small Claims Tribunal (SCT) is part of the State Courts in Singapore. It resolves lower-value disputes between consumers and suppliers, faster and more cost-effectively than going to court. The State Courts’ Community Justice and Tribunals System (CJTS) runs the SCT. The types of disputes that can be heard in Small Claims Tribunals Regardless of the claim value, which has a limit, the SCT can only hear certain types of...
Family Law
Guide to Guardianship in Singapore
Parents are the natural guardians of their children, but a legal guardian is appointed either by a will, deed, or by the court. A legal guardian looks after children until they reach the age of 21. Most often the guardian is a family member, but not always. Guardianship isn’t something that springs to most people’s minds until it becomes necessary, which may be too late to influence the decision-making. The...