28/05/2024 Bertus Preller Customary Law, Customary Marriages, Divorce The Importance of Compliance and Consent in Customary Marriages: B.S v P.M (A3096-2022) [2024] ZAGPJHC 508 (17 May 2024). Introduction In a recent judgment, the High Court of South Africa (Gauteng Division, Johannesburg) addressed the complexities surrounding the recognition and validity of customary marriages in the case of B.S.E.S.… READ MORE
24/05/2024 Bertus Preller Counselling, Divorce, Divorce Statistics, Infidelity, Marriage, Reasons for Dicorce active listening, Bertus Preller, communication breakdown, Divorce, divorce lawyer, emotional support, Everyone’s Guide to Divorce and Separation, Family Law, infidelity, infidelity types, James Sexton, Lex Fridman, love, love impermanence, marriage, matrimonial law, modern love, Navigating Relationships, podcast insights, rebuilding trust, relationship advice, Relationship Challenges, relationship resilience, romantic expectations, social media impact, soulmate myth, South Africa, The Diary of a CEO, The Unexpected Counsellor Navigating the Complexities of Love, Marriage, and Divorce: Insights from America’s Top Divorce Lawyer, James Sexton. Introduction As a divorce lawyer with more than 30 years of experience in South Africa, I found listening to James Sexton's discussions on The Diary of a CEO and Lex… READ MORE
23/05/2024 Bertus Preller Divorce, Maintenance, Marriage, Pacta sunt servanda, Prenuptial Afreement Antenuptial Contract, certainty, circumvention, Constitutional Court, D H B v C S B, dissenting opinion, Divorce, Divorce Act, donation, enforceability, fairness, freedom of contract, Judicial Discretion, jurisdiction, legal status, maintenance contract, majority judgment, matrimonial regime, Pacta Sunt Servanda, pleadings, prenuptial agreements, procedural fairness, Public Policy, Section 7, spousal maintenance, statutory right, unintended consequences Prenuptial Agreements and Public Policy: The Constitutional Court’s Ruling in D H B v C S B (CCT 293/22) [2024] ZACC 9 (22 May 2024). Background of the Case D H B and C S B concluded an antenuptial contract before their marriage in 2015, declaring their marriage to be out of community of property… READ MORE
23/05/2024 Bertus Preller Divorce, Muslim Marriages asset redistribution, Child Custody, child welfare, cultural diversity, Divorce, Divorce Act 1979, Divorce Amendment Act 2024, equality, fairness, Family Law, forfeiture of patrimonial benefits, Islamic tenets, justice, Legal Protection, legal recognition, Marital Assets, Muslim marriages, religious practices, South Africa Understanding the New Divorce Amendment Act No. 01 of 2024: Enhancing Legal Protection for Muslim Marriages The Divorce Amendment Act, 2024, marks a significant milestone in the recognition and protection of Muslim marriages in South Africa. By integrating specific provisions for Muslim marriages into the existing… READ MORE
21/05/2024 Bertus Preller Best Interests of the Child, Children, Parental Rights, Procedure, Relocation, Schooling, Urgency, Views of the Child best interests of the child, child contact, child welfare, children's act, court order, court procedure, Divorce, East Rock Trading, Family Advocate, Family Law, Grootboom case, High Court, Johannesburg, judicial oversight, Legal Framework, legal principles, Mediation, Parental Rights, Procedural Compliance, procedural rules, relocation disputes, settlement agreement, shared custody, Uniform Rule 6(12), urgency test, urgent child relocation, Western Cape, ZAWCHC E.L.B v A.V.M (7521/24) [2024] ZAWCHC 132: Implications for Urgent Child Relocation Applications. Background and Context of E.L.B v A.V.M (7521/24) ZAWCHC 132 The Western Cape Division of the High Court of South Africa was tasked with resolving a highly contentious and urgent… READ MORE
20/05/2024 Bertus Preller Best Interests of the Child, Children, Guardianship, Parental Rights, Procedural Law, Procedure, Schooling abuse of process, best interests of the child, biological parents, care and contact, child contact, Child Custody, children's act, consanguinity, costs order, court's discretion, Family Advocate, M M v N M and Others, minor child, Mukaddam v Pioneer Foods, Parental Responsibilities, Parental Rights, third-party rights, Uniform Rule 6(12)(b), urgent applications The Limits of Third-Party Rights in Child Contact: P.D and Another v A.R and Another (D779/2023) [2024] ZAKZDHC 27 (17 May 2024). Background of the case The case of P.D and Another v A.R and Another (D779/2023) ZAKZDHC 27 (17 May 2024) involved an unusual set of facts. The applicants, who were… READ MORE
17/05/2024 Bertus Preller Abuse, Digital Abuse, Divorce, Interdict, Marriage, Privacy Rights answering affidavit, Bernstein and Others v Bester NO and others, closed-circuit television, community's sense of justice, Constitutional Rights, disclosure of private facts, dishonest litigant, expert witness, Financial Mail (Pty) Ltd v Sage Holdings Ltd, iCloud, interdict, iTunes, matrimonial home, O'Keeffe v Argus Printing and Publishing Co Ltd, privacy, punitive costs, S v I, Section 14, sexual encounter, South African Constitution, unlawful intrusion, Urgent Application, video footage, WhatsApp Ex-Husband Pays the Price for Secret Video Scandal. The Right to Privacy Triumphs: CEA v MB (D4460/2023) [2024] ZAKZDHC 26 (17 May 2024) THE FACTS OF THE CASE The case of CEA v MB, heard in the High Court of South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal Local Division, Durban, involved a woman (the applicant) who sought… READ MORE
16/05/2024 Bertus Preller Abuse, Coercive Control, Cultural Abuse, Digital Abuse, Domestic Violence, Emotional Abuse, Financial Abuse, Harassment, Harrassment, Interim Protection Order, Neglect, Physical Abuse, Psychological Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Spiritual Abuse, Verbal Abuse The Crucial Role of Full Disclosure in Domestic Violence Interim Protection Orders: Legal Standards, Case Law, and Practical Guidance. INTRODUCTION TO THE DUTY OF FULL DISCLOSURE IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE APPLICATIONS The principle of full disclosure is paramount in ex parte applications, where orders are granted without notice to the… READ MORE
07/05/2024 Bertus Preller Adversarial Legal System, Child Maintenance, Costs, Financial Disclosure, Maintenance, Procedure, Rule 43 094387/23, 2024, abuse of process, Arrear Maintenance, case law interpretation, contact arrangements, costs order, dismissal, divorce proceedings, expeditious decision, Family Advocate, financial position, Gauteng Division, High Court, inexpensive resolution, interim relief, just decision, lengthy affidavits, M.N v A.L.N, maintenance, Minor Children, Pretoria, Rule 43 Application, rule amendments, Rules Board, South African Law, status quo M.N v A.L.N (094387/23) [2024] ZAGPPHC 402 (22 April 2024): High Court Dismisses Lengthy Rule 43 Application as an Abuse of Process. Background of the Rule 43 Application In the case of M.N v A.L.N (094387/23) ZAGPPHC 402 (22 April 2024), the applicant launched a Rule 43 application on 27 November 2023,… READ MORE