REGISTRAR’S CIRCULAR NO 17 OF 2020

FURTHER UPDATES ON MEASURES RELATING TO COVID-19 FROM 2 JUNE 2020   

Measures for Safe Re-opening

 

1. For the immediate post Circuit Breaker period, Syariah Court will put in place certain measures for safe re-opening.

 

Filing of Divorce Applications

 

2. Between 2 June 2020 and 1 July 2020 (both dates inclusive), or such later date as the Registrar may direct, the Court Registry will accept filing of new divorce applications which satisfies the following conditions only:

 

(a) The applicant/intended Plaintiff has completed the Marriage Counselling Programme (“MCP”) and a letter has been issued by the MCP Agency for the Filing of Originating Summons for Divorce;

 

(b) The last counselling date in the letter is either between 7 October 2019 and 1 December 2019 or between 2 December 2019 and 1 January 2020; and

 

(c) The last date for filing the Originating Summons for Divorce is either between 7 April 2020 and 1 June 2020 or between 2 June 2020 and 1 July 2020.

 

3. For cases with a filing deadline that falls between 7 April 2020 and 1 June 2020 (both dates inclusive) or a deadline between 2 June 2020 and 1 July 2020 (both dates inclusive) which has already passed as at the date of filing the divorce application, the applicant/intended Plaintiff may, at the same time as filing the Originating Summons for Divorce, file the Originating Summons for Divorce pursuant to section 46(A) of the Administration of Muslim Law Act in Form 6A and a supporting affidavit.

 

4. A sample template of Form 6A and the supporting affidavit for this purpose may be obtained at our website at www.syariahcourt.gov.sg.

 

Court’s Commissioner for Oaths

 

5. The Court’s Commissioner for Oaths may take an affirmation only from a party who acts in person in respect of the following documents prepared using the applicable standard forms and exhibiting the required standard documents:

 

(a) A Case Statement or Amended Case Statement;

 

(b) A Memorandum of Appearance or Amended Memorandum of Defence;

 

(c) An affidavit in support of Originating Summons for leave under section 46A of the Administration of Muslim Law Act, provided the application falls within paragraph 2 of this Circular.

 

6. The above applies until 1 July 2020, or such later date as the Registrar may direct. Court’s Process Server

 

7. The services of the Court’s Process Server will be prioritised for cases with upcoming scheduled hearing dates.

 

8. The services of the Court’s Process Server will not be available for any application (filed by Litigants-in-person), except for the service process of Originating Summons for Divorce, until 1 July 2020, or such later date as the Registrar may direct.

 

Parenting PACT

 

9. Parenting PACT will be conducted online. A party who has attended the online Parenting PACT will be issued with a collection slip from PPIS As-Salaam via email.

 

Collection of certificates of divorce

 

10. The party shall collect the certificate of divorce that is made and issued by Syariah Court on or after 2 June 2020 via email instead of attending at the Court Registry. This practice will continue until such date as the Registrar may direct.

 

11. The email sent by Syariah Court containing the certificate of divorce will not be password-protected and the party is deemed to accept this manner of transmission. A certificate of divorce that is collected via email is deemed as collected.

 

12. For the avoidance of doubt, a physical copy of a certificate of divorce is available upon request and payment of the applicable fees for the extract.

 

General

 

13. Court users and members of the public who wish to seek clarification on this matter may call 63548371 or email MCCY_Syariah@mccy.gov.sg. For general information on court processes and procedures, they may visit our website at www.syariahcourt.gov.sg.