PKWA Law was interviewed by The Straits Times on the reasons why unreasonable behaviour continues to be the most commonly cited fact in civil divorce proceedings in Singapore.
According to the latest marriage and divorce statistics released by the Department of Statistics, unreasonable behaviour accounted for 48.7% of all civil divorces in 2025, while adultery was cited in just 0.9% of cases.
In the article, PKWA’s Lim Chong Boon explained that many marriages which break down because of infidelity are nevertheless filed on the basis of unreasonable behaviour.
This is often because proving adultery requires clear evidence that a spouse had a sexual relationship with another person. Gathering such evidence may involve engaging a private investigator or relying on other forms of evidence, which can increase both the complexity and cost of the proceedings. By contrast, unreasonable behaviour covers a broad range of conduct and is often the more practical legal basis for commencing divorce proceedings.
The introduction of divorce by mutual agreement in July 2024 has also provided couples with another option where both parties agree that the marriage has irretrievably broken down without attributing blame to either spouse. Nevertheless, unreasonable behaviour remains the most commonly relied upon fact for civil divorces.
At PKWA Law, our family lawyers advise clients on the most appropriate legal approach based on their individual circumstances. Every family situation is different, and the choice of the fact to rely upon should take into account the available evidence, the parties’ objectives and the overall circumstances of the marriage.
If you are considering divorce and are unsure which fact best fits your circumstances, our family law team is available for a confidential discussion.
Read the full article in The Straits Times:
Why unreasonable behaviour is the top reason cited for divorce in S’pore, and adultery the least –https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/community/why-unreasonable-behaviour-is-the-top-reason-cited-for-divorce-in-spore-while-adultery-the-least