[xxx_OrOcO_xxx]

And yes, also want to share my own experiences. Some bros also DM me whether I'm a lawyer. Well, I'm not. Although I did receive overseas training and legal education at a law school in the US.

Many men always think that the law is so lopsided, that it favours the opposite gender largely. True to a certain extend, hence it's known as Women's Charter. Yes, there are calls to have it renamed as Family Charter etc, because of some existing norms of gender equality (I will leave this topic for another time).

Anyway, back to my own experience in FJCs. Firstly, if you can and able to afford, get a good lawyer to assist you or represent you, you will save a lot of troubles. Good family law firms like PKWA, Peter Low & Choo etc. Be genuinely nice to the lawyers and the FJCs officers/staffs; one will gain several steps ahead.

What if one don't have enough monies? Don't need to worry, FJCs is the friendliest courthouse among all the courthouses in Singapore, this is the truth. As long as one don't try to be a smart aleck, or being nasty/rude at the FJCs.

A lot of individuals who self-represented (without lawyers), can ask the court staffs on relevant procedures and they can guide you on administrative matters i.e. filing documents etc. You can also go to the Community Justice Centre (State Courts), to seek on-site one-time 10 minutes legal advice for free, on a first-come-first-serve basis (10 slots in the morning, 10 slots in the afternoon), so come early and get a Q number. I'd suggest one to ask the most relevant and important questions, so that one will know what to do.

And if one is self-represented, you can get a legal companion via Community Justice Centre, in which you need to apply for it (usually approval in matter of days, or up to 2 weeks). The legal companion will accompany you during the court session, however he/she cannot represent you or advise you, he/she can help you in terms of administrative matters i.e. what you will need to do during court session, like completing forms. He/she will sit at the audience gallery, while taking some basic notes on details one will need to remember i.e. the next court date, the amount of maintenance fee the other party is asking for etc. These basic important details, the legal companion (or known as Court Friend) can help one to take note, so that you don't need to worry about forgetting these minor admin details. And yes, trust me, bring a pen and a notebook, just make notes while the Judge is speaking or the opposite party is speaking. It makes a great deal in terms of impression, towards the Judge. And you can also tally your notes with the Court Friend too.

As for Legal Aid Bureau, just need to approach the Ministry of Law Service Centre at URA Centre (East Wing), opposite Maxwell Food Centre. Of course, there wil be income requirements for seeking on-site legal advice.

If you meet the requirements, you can see the in-house lawyer(s) from Ministry of Law immediately. Their time duration is much more generous, and if your case deserved to be represented, the Ministry of Law will take the necessary steps to represent you in Family Justice Courts. So yes, the government lawyers or assigned solicitors from private practices, can represent you for a nominal fee of SGD1000 for the entire court proceedings. Because this involves taxpayer monies, one will have to be very cooperative throughout the proceedings, even though one is a client of government lawyers / assigned solicitors.