Family Justice (Protection from Harassment) Rules 2024

In these Rules —

In these Rules —

The Forms to be used for the purposes of these Rules are those set out in practice directions (as defined in the General Rules), and any reference in these Rules to a numbered form (where the number may include alphanumeric characters) is to be construed as a reference to the current version of the form bearing the corresponding number which is set out in the practice directions.

Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), the General Rules apply, with the necessary modifications, to all PH proceedings in the Family Courts or appeals from such proceedings, and for this purpose a reference to “these Rules” in the General Rules includes a reference to these Rules.

Parts 2, 3, 11, 12, 13, 20 and 25 (Rule 6) of the General Rules do not apply to PH proceedings.

These Rules prevail over the provisions of the General Rules to the extent of any inconsistency between them.

An application for permission to commence any PH proceedings pursuant to section 16I(2)(c) of the Act must be made to the Family Court by originating application in Form 185.

The originating application must be served in accordance with the direction (if any) of the Family Court for service on a party or an individual or entity mentioned in paragraph (3)(c) or (d).

An application for permission in paragraph (1) must be supported by an affidavit in Form 186, or by a simplified form in the relevant Form annexed to the application —

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), the affidavit or simplified form (as the case may be) must state how the pending family proceedings are related to the PH proceedings and, in particular —

The Family Court may make an order or give a direction for any of the following:

An application to transfer any PH proceedings pending in the Family Court to the Protection from Harassment Court pursuant to section 16J(2) of the Act must be made by summons in the PH proceedings in Form 208.

The summons and supporting affidavit must be served on every party to the PH proceedings and the related family proceedings.

The application under paragraph (1) must be supported by an affidavit —

Where an application for the transfer of PH proceedings under section 16J(2) of the Act is made, the Family Court may order the PH proceedings and the related family proceedings to be stayed until after the final determination of the application.

The Family Court may, on making an order for transfer under section 16J(2) of the Act, give any direction that is necessary for, and incidental to, the proper carrying into effect of the order.

Where an order is made for the transfer of PH proceedings under section 16J(2) of the Act to the Protection from Harassment Court, the Registrar must give notice of the transfer to every party to the proceedings.

An application under this Part in relation to any PH proceedings may only be made after the following permission or order has been given:

Despite the other rules in this Part or the provisions of the General Rules, the Family Court may give any direction as to the conduct of both the PH proceedings and the related family proceedings in the Family Court that is necessary for, and incidental to, the proper carrying into effect of any permission or order mentioned in paragraph (1).

An application for a protection order must be made by filing an originating application in Form 187 and supported by an affidavit in Form 188.

The applicant for a protection order must serve a copy of the documents mentioned in paragraph (1) on —

The applicant must file an affidavit of service in Form 78 within 8 days after the date of service in accordance with paragraph (2).

An applicant for a protection order may apply for the Family Court to make an expedited protection order by so indicating in the application for the protection order.

Where an affidavit has been filed in support of an application for a protection order, no further affidavit is to be filed or served in support of that application (including any expedited protection order indicated in the application), except with the permission of the Family Court.

A person who is served the documents under paragraph (2) may file an affidavit in reply in Form 189 within 14 days after being served the documents, and no further affidavit in reply is to be filed or served in support of the reply except with the permission of the Family Court.

The Family Court may grant an expedited protection order despite the failure to serve the documents under paragraph (2).

A protection order must be —

An expedited protection order —

An order under section 12(2E) or (2F) or 13(1B) or (1C) of the Act served on a third party or an internet intermediary mentioned in that provision (called in this rule an additional relevant party), who was not identified in the order, must be served together with a notification in Form 191 naming that additional relevant party.

Where an order mentioned under paragraph (3) is to apply to another additional relevant party, who was not identified in the order or in a notification served under that paragraph, a further notification in Form 191 naming that other additional relevant party must be served with the order on that other additional relevant party.

A party who wishes to amend a notification, which is served by that party under paragraph (3) or (4) in respect of an additional relevant party named in the notification, must do so by serving a copy of the amended notification on every additional relevant party who was served the notification before it was amended.

Every notification, further notification or amended notification mentioned in paragraph (3), (4) or (5) (as the case may be) must be filed before it is served, and the filing may be done without any further permission of the Family Court.

An application to vary, suspend or cancel a protection order or an expedited protection order must be —

The applicant must serve the application and supporting affidavit on —

The Family Court may —

Any order made by the Family Court pursuant to the application must be served by the party in whose favour the order is made, on the following persons as the Family Court may direct:

This rule does not affect the Family Court’s power to transfer any application to vary, suspend or cancel the order to the Protection from Harassment Court under section 16J(2) of the Act.

An application for a false statement order must be made by filing an originating application in Form 194 supported by an affidavit in Form 196.

The applicant for a false statement order must serve a copy of the documents mentioned in paragraph (1) on —

The applicant must file an affidavit of service in Form 78 within 8 days after the date of service in accordance with paragraph (2).

An applicant for a false statement order who wishes to apply for a corresponding interim false statement order must —

Where an affidavit has been filed in support of an application under paragraph (1) or (4)(b), no further affidavit is to be filed or served in support of that application except with the permission of the Family Court.

Each person who is served the documents under paragraph (2) may file an affidavit in reply in Form 197 within 14 days after being so served, and no further affidavit is to be filed or served in support of that person’s reply except with the permission of the Family Court.

The Family Court may grant an interim stop publication order or interim notification order despite the failure to serve the documents in support of the application under paragraph (2).

A false statement order —

An interim false statement order —

A stop publication order or an interim stop publication order (as the case may be) served on an individual or entity mentioned in section 15A(3) of the Act (called in this rule an additional relevant party), who was not identified in the order, must be served together with a notification in Form 199 naming that additional relevant party.

Where an order mentioned in paragraph (3) is to apply to another additional relevant party who was not identified in the order or in a notification served under that paragraph, a further notification in Form 199 naming that other additional relevant party must be served with the order on that other additional relevant party.

A party who wishes to amend a notification, served by that party under paragraph (3) or (4) in respect of a person named in the notification, must do so by serving an amended notification on every additional relevant party who was served the notification before it was amended.

Every notification, further notification and amended notification mentioned in paragraph (3), (4) or (5) (as the case may be) must be filed before it is served, and the filing may be done without any further permission of the Family Court.

An application to vary, suspend or cancel a false statement order or an interim false statement order must be —

The applicant must serve the application and supporting affidavit on —

The Family Court may —

Any order made by the Family Court pursuant to the application must be served by the party or person in whose favour the order is made, on the following:

This rule does not affect the Family Court’s power to transfer any application to vary, suspend or cancel the order to the Protection from Harassment Court under section 16J(2) of the Act.

Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and rule 3(3), Part 19 of the General Rules applies to an appeal against a decision of the Family Court in relation to a protection order or false statement order or the refusal of the order.

For the purposes of paragraph (1), any reference to “all parties who have an interest in the appeal” in Part 19 of the General Rules is to be read, unless the court otherwise directs, as a reference to the following persons:

The time for service under Part 19 of the General Rules on a person mentioned in paragraph (2)(d) is the time required by rule 23(2).

Where the Family Court calls for a preliminary assessment report for the purpose of making a determination under section 13B(3)(a) of the Act, the Family Court may make an order under section 13B(6) of the Act in Form 202.

The preliminary assessment report may be disclosed to the applicant for the mandatory treatment order to which the report relates (if any) only if the applicant —

For the purposes of obtaining a formal assessment report under section 13B(3)(b) of the Act, the Family Court may make an order under section 13B(7) of the Act in Form 203.

The formal assessment report may be disclosed to the applicant for the mandatory treatment order (if any) only if the applicant —

A mandatory treatment order must be in Form 204.

The appointed psychiatrist on whose formal assessment report a mandatory treatment order is based may apply to vary or revoke the mandatory treatment order in Form 205, supported by an affidavit in Form 206, or by a simplified form in the relevant Form annexed to the application.

The appointed psychiatrist must serve the application to vary or revoke a mandatory treatment order on the person who applied for the mandatory treatment order (if any) and the respondent within 7 days after the date on which the application is filed.

The person who applied for the mandatory treatment order (if any) and the respondent may file an affidavit or a reply in Form 207 in response to the application to vary or revoke a mandatory treatment order.

Where the Family Court varies or revokes a mandatory treatment order on the application of an appointed psychiatrist, the appointed psychiatrist must serve the order to vary or revoke the mandatory treatment order on the person who applied for the mandatory treatment order (if any) and the respondent within 7 days after the order to vary or revoke the mandatory treatment order is made.

Subject to rule 3(3), Part 19 of the General Rules applies to an appeal in relation to the following decisions of the Family Court:

For the purposes of paragraph (1), any reference to “all parties who have an interest in the appeal” in Part 19 of the General Rules is to be read, unless the court otherwise directs, as a reference to the following persons:

The time for service under Part 19 of the General Rules on a person mentioned in paragraph (2)(d) is the time required by rule 23(2).

The Family Court may give directions for the service of documents filed in PH proceedings, including directions on the means of service or for service out of jurisdiction, on the following persons:

Where these Rules require any person to serve a document on another person, the document must be served on that other person within 14 days (or any other period as directed by the Family Court) after the date of filing of the document, unless otherwise provided by these Rules.

Without affecting any provision of the General Rules or these Rules permitting the service of a document in any other manner, any document filed in relation to PH proceedings may be served in accordance with paragraph (2) or as the Family Court may direct under paragraph (3) or (4).

Where the proper address in Singapore of the person to be served is known, service on that person may be effected —

Where the proper address of the person to be served is not known —

Where there is no known proper address of the person to be served, and paragraph (3) does not apply to that person, the Family Court may direct that the document be served by causing a notice containing the following information to be posted on any Internet website or other website that the Family Court may specify:

Any document sent by registered post to any person in accordance with paragraph (2) is to be treated as duly served on the person at the time when the document (as the case may be) would in the ordinary course of post be delivered.

In proving service of any document sent by registered post to any person in accordance with paragraph (2), it is sufficient to prove that the envelope containing the document was properly addressed, stamped and posted by registered post.

The Family Court may, in an appropriate case, dispense with service of any document on any person.

The Family Court may require any party to any PH proceedings, any of their representatives or any person given access to relevant information to give the following undertakings in respect of the relevant information:

In this rule, “relevant information” means —

The Family Court may, on its own motion or on the application of any party to any PH proceedings before the Family Court, if it deems it to be necessary or expedient in the interest of justice, public safety or propriety, at any time make an order —

Paragraph (1) does not limit any other powers of redaction under the General Rules.

A Family Court or the Registrar may, in making a decision as to the award of costs and disbursements and the amount of costs and disbursements to be allowed, take into account the principle of proportionality and any of the following matters:

To avoid doubt, disbursements include document fees, interpreters’ fees and hearing fees.

Unless a Family Court or the Registrar directs otherwise, any costs and disbursements awarded must be paid within 7 days after the decision of the Family Court or Registrar as to costs and disbursements.