Court may make orders and give directions for just, expeditious and economical disposal of proceedings
18A.—(1)  The Court may, at any time after the commencement or at the hearing of any proceedings, of its own motion or on an application by any party to the proceedings, direct all or any of the parties to those proceedings to appear before the Court, for the Court to make such order or give such direction as the Court thinks fit, for the just, expeditious and economical disposal of the matter.
(2)  The directions that the Court may give under paragraph (1) include directions on one or more of the following matters:
(a)that all or any of the parties to the proceedings attend counselling or participate in such family support programme or activity as the Court thinks fit;
(b)that all or any of the parties to the proceedings attend a mediation session or pre-trial conference relating to any matter arising in the proceedings;
(c)that evidence in proceedings be given orally or by affidavit, or by a combination of oral evidence and affidavit evidence, with or without cross-examination of any deponent;
(d)that a witness be called to give evidence with a view to assisting in the resolution or disposal of the proceedings;
(e)that evidence may be given through a live video or live television link.
(3)  Without affecting paragraph (1), at a mediation session or pre-trial conference, the Court may —
(a)consider any matter, including the possibility of settlement of all or any of the issues in the proceedings; and
(b)require the parties to furnish to the Court such information as the Court thinks fit.
(4)  Where a party defaults in complying with any order made or direction given by the Court under paragraph (1), the Court may —
(a)dismiss the action;
(b)strike out the cross-application; or
(c)make such order as the Court thinks fit.
[S 639/2018 wef 22/10/2018]