Family property disputes in Singapore
Publication Type
Book Chapter
Publication Date
6-2024
Abstract
In Singapore, the idea of ‘family property’ has a wider understanding socially by reason of intergenerational dependence. The local courts are frequently confronted with family property disputes between parents and their adult children or between siblings. In a number of recent cases, a communitarian approach towards assets acquired by individual family members may be observed. This chapter focuses on family property disputes outside of the context of termination of marriage. It argues that the English doctrines of resulting trust and pre-Stack v Dowden common intention constructive trust, which were adopted into Singapore law, have been progressively adapted to suit the Singaporean context. This chapter considers the ‘context’ at two distinct levels: first, by considering the types of family relationships and family property that dominate the Singapore disputes; and second, by identifying the governmental policies, cultural values and socio-economic factors that shape the Singaporean understanding of ‘family’ and ‘family property’.
Keywords
Family property, Common intention constructive trust, Resulting trust, Socio-economic factors, Cultural values, Governmental policies, Singapore
Discipline
Asian Studies | Family Law | Property Law and Real Estate
Research Areas
Public Interest Law, Community and Social Justice
Publication
Research Handbook on Family Property and the Law
Editor
Margaret Briggs, & Andy Hayward
First Page
480
Last Page
494
ISBN
9781802204674
Identifier
10.4337/9781802204681.00041
Publisher
Edward Elgar
City or Country
Chelterham
Citation
YIP, Man.
Family property disputes in Singapore. (2024). Research Handbook on Family Property and the Law. 480-494.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/sol_research/4512
Additional URL
https://doi.org/10.4337/9781802204681.00041