19/11/2024 Bertus Preller Adversarial Legal System, Appeal, Best Interests of the Child, Children, Coercive Control, Conduct of Childcare Experts, Costs, Divorce, Family Law Court System South Africa, In Community of Property, Marital Regimes, Pacta sunt servanda, Parental Alienation, Parental Rights, Punitive Cost Orders, Relocation, Settlement agreements, Shared Residency best interests of child, breastfeeding rights, Child Custody, children's rights, children's act, Constitutional Rights, costs order, custody agreement, custody battle, divorce proceedings, divorce settlement, Family Advocate, family advocate recommendations, Family Court, Family Law, financial coercion, joint estate, Judicial Discretion, legal precedent, matrimonial property, Medupi Power Station, Parental Rights, parenting plan, Primary Caregiver, primary residence, settlement agreement, South African courts, Supreme Court of Appeal, unilateral relocation, upper guardian When Power Moves Meet Parental Rights: High Court Pulls the Plug on Dad’s Custody Settlement in ZDE v CE (1011/2022) [2024] ZASCA 159. (18 November 2024). Background to the Matter Picture this: the corridors of the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein, where legal dramas unfold with the regularity of load-shedding schedules. But this time, the… READ MORE
13/11/2024 Bertus Preller Alimony, Appeal, Arrear Maintenance Variation, Arrears, Best Interests of the Child, Child Maintenance, Children, Costs, Maintenance, Maintenance Court, Variation child interests, child maintenance, child rights, Constitutional Court, court access, judicial authority, judicial integrity, Legal Practitioners, Maintenance Act, maintenance appeals, maintenance arrears, maintenance beneficiaries, maintenance claims, maintenance compliance, maintenance courts, maintenance default, maintenance discharge, maintenance enforcement, maintenance judgments, maintenance jurisdiction, maintenance law, maintenance obligations, maintenance officers, maintenance orders, maintenance proceedings, maintenance variations, maintenance write-offs, Prescription Period, punitive costs, SS v VV-S Maintenance Orders in South African Law Constitutional Court Jurisprudence and Fundamental Principles Introduction The enforcement of maintenance orders in South Africa has evolved significantly through Constitutional Court jurisprudence. The landmark case SS v VVS 2018 (6)… READ MORE
29/08/2024 Bertus Preller Adversarial Legal System, Appeal, Children, Costs, Divorce, Procedural Law, Rule 43, Rule 58 appealability, civil procedure, divorce proceedings, Family Advocate, Family Law, High Court, interests of justice, interlocutory orders, irreparable harm, judicial economy, magistrates court, Rule 58, Rule 60A, South Africa Family Law Feud: High Court Strikes Down Appeal in M.K v M.K (A2023/123739) [2024] ZAGPJHC 829 – (28 August 2024) Background: A Divorce Case and an Irregular Step Application The case of M.K v M.K (A2023/123739) ZAGPJHC 829 (28 August 2024) revolves around a divorce proceeding and an application made… READ MORE
25/07/2024 Bertus Preller Accrual Calculation, Antenuptial Contracts, Appeal, Divorce, Pacta sunt servanda, Procedural Law, Procedure, Settlement agreements accrual system, appealable order, civil procedure, client advice, client communication, common mistake, contract law, divorce settlement, Family Law, judicial interpretation, justus error, legal certainty, Legal Practitioners, professional liability, settlement agreement, South African Law, Supreme Court of Appeal, thorough preparation, variation Legal Pitfalls in Divorce Settlements: B v B [2024] ZASCA 116 (24 July 2024). Warns Practitioners. The Dispute: A Settlement Agreement Under Scrutiny The case of B v B (259/2023) ZASCA 116 originated from a divorce settlement that quickly became contentious after its conclusion. The parties,… READ MORE
17/06/2024 Bertus Preller Appeal, Best Interests of the Child, Children, Parental Rights, Procedure appealable order, best interests of children, care assessment, Case No: 3358/2024, children's act, contact assessment, DR v NM and RL, Family Advocate, Girdwood v Girdwood, interlocutory order, Kotze v Kotze, leave to appeal, Minor Children, parenting plan, S v Notshokovu, Superior Courts Act, Supreme Court ActDR v NM and Another (3358/2024) [2024] ZAWCHC 69 - (7 June 2024), Tshwane City v Afriforum, upper guardian, Western Cape High Court DR v NM and RL: Western Cape High Court Upholds Best Interests of Children in Dismissing Leave to Appeal of DR v NM and Another (3358/2024) [2024] ZAWCHC 69 – (7 June 2024). Introduction In a recent judgment, the Western Cape High Court dismissed an application for leave to appeal brought by the first respondent against an order directing the Office of the… READ MORE
13/06/2024 Bertus Preller Accrual Calculation, Anti-Dissipation Interdicts, anti-dissipatory relief, Appeal, Divorce, Procedural Law accrual system, anti-dissipation interdict, appealability, asset dissipation, constitutional values, constitutionalization, Divorce, evidentiary threshold, exceptional circumstances, fair outcomes, Family Law, intentions, interests of justice, interim orders, judicial accountability, KSL v AL, legal developments, legal principles, marital property, matrimonial disputes, precedents, rule 34 offers, settlement negotiations, South African Law, strategic litigation, Supreme Court of Appeal The SCA Unraveling the Intricacies of Anti-Dissipation Interdicts in Matrimonial Disputes: Lessons from KSL v AL (356/2023) [2024] ZASCA 96 (13 June 2024). The Lowdown: Facts and Background of KSL v AL (356/2023) ZASCA 96 (13 June 2024) The saga of KSL v AL began when KSL (the husband) tied the knot with… READ MORE
12/06/2024 Bertus Preller Alimony, Appeal, Arbitration, Arrears, Child Maintenance, Divorce, Maintenance, Procedural Law, Procedure, Spousal Maintenance 11 June 2024, 258/2023, access to courts, arbitrability, arbitration, Arbitration Act 42 of 1965, Arrear Maintenance, Divorce Act 70 of 1979, Enforcement, ex lege, Family Law, incidental matters, jurisdiction, legislative provisions, Maintenance Act 99 of 1998, maintenance disputes, matrimonial cause, party autonomy, precedent, public importance, rescission, section 2(a), suspension, variation, VJ v VJ and Another, vulnerable parties, ZASCA 92 Safeguarding Access to Courts in Maintenance Matters: The Supreme Court of Appeal’s Judgement in VJ v VJ and Another (258/2023) [2024] ZASCA 92 (11 June 2024). The Background: A Matrimonial Dispute Turns into an Arbitrability Question The recent judgment in VJ v VJ and Another (258/2023) ZASCA 92 (11 June 2024) has shed light on a… READ MORE
27/04/2024 Bertus Preller Appeal, Divorce, Maintenance, Procedural Law, Review, Rule 43 2019 (6) SA 1 (CC), access to courts, appealability, best interests of the child, constitutionality, contributions towards costs, differentiation, divorce proceedings, equality before the law, Equality of Arms, inherent power, interests of justice, interim care, interim contact, interim matrimonial matters, interim orders, legitimate government purpose, maintenance pendente lite, non-appealability, rationality test, regulate own processes, Rule 43, S v S and Another (Centre for Child Law as Amicus Curiae), section 16(3), Superior Courts Act 10 of 2013, Uniform Rules of Court, urgent relief, variation of order Constitutionality of Barring Appeals Against Rule 43 Orders: S v S and Another (Centre for Child Law as Amicus Curiae) 2019 (6) SA 1 (CC). Introduction: The Facts and Procedural History of S v S and Another The Constitutional Court case of S v S and Another (Centre for Child Law as Amicus Curiae) 2019… READ MORE
23/04/2024 Bertus Preller Appeal, Divorce, In Community of Property, Procedural Law appeal upheld, appealability, compelling discovery, divorce proceedings, doctrine of finality, H.J v P.J, High Court, interests of justice, interlocutory orders, precedent, Rall v Rall, regional court, section 168(3) Constitution, striking off the roll, Superior Courts Act, ZASCA H.J v P.J (285/2023) [2024] ZASCA 55 (19 April 2024): Supreme Court of Appeal Rules on Appealability of Interlocutory Orders in Divorce Proceedings. Divorce Proceedings and Request for Further Particulars in H.J v P.J The case of H.J v P.J (285/2023) ZASCA 55 (19 April 2024) revolves around a divorce dispute between the… READ MORE
23/03/2024 Bertus Preller Accrual Calculation, Appeal, Divorce, Marital Regimes, Trusts, Trusts accrual system, alter ego trust, Antenuptial Contracts, Asset Concealment, asset protection, Divorce, equitable division, estate calculation, financial manipulation, financial strategy, judicial interpretation, Legal precedents, legal remedies, marital rights, marital wealth, matrimonial disputes, matrimonial property, Paf v Scf, Property Division, South African Law, spouse entitlements, Trust assets, Trust Property Control Act, trust veil Unraveling Trust Assets in Divorce: Navigating South African Matrimonial Law. Trust Assets in Matrimonial Disputes: Navigating South African Legal Waters In South African family law, the treatment of trust assets in matrimonial disputes, particularly during divorce proceedings, presents a complex… READ MORE