18/03/2024 Bertus Preller Best Interests of the Child, Children, Parental Rights, Views of the Child best interests principle, child autonomy, Child Custody, child development, Child Participation, Child Psychology, child rights, child testimony, child welfare, child-friendly practices, child's voice, Children’s Act 38 of 2005, constitutional mandate, Court Decisions, Custody Battles, divorce proceedings, expert testimony, Family Advocate, Family Court, judicial approach, judicial interpretation, legal challenges, Legal Framework, Legal proceedings, legal reform, Legal Representation, Parental Rights, South African Family Law, UNCRC Amplifying the Child’s Voice: Navigating Family Law in South Africa. The principle of the child's voice in South African family law represents a fundamental aspect of the legal system’s commitment to ensuring that children's rights and welfare are prioritized in… READ MORE
17/03/2024 Bertus Preller Best Interests of the Child, Children, Guardianship, Hostile Family Lawyers, Parental Rights, Views of the Child bias in evaluations, care and contact disputes, child best interests, child welfare, court reliance on experts, cultural influence, Custody Battles, ethical dilemmas, expert testimony ethics, expert witness objectivity, family dynamics, forensic assessments, forensic social workers, hired gun phenomenon, impartiality in assessments, judicial decisions, Legal Framework, legal outcomes, Legal Standards, mental health impact, peer review panels, professional development, professional integrity, psychological evaluations, Schneider case analysis, subjective interpretation Navigating the Battlefield: Overcoming the ‘Hired Gun’ Phenomenon in Forensic Child Care Assessments. Introduction In a typical case, let us consider a fictional scenario involving a forensic psychologist, Dr. Smith, who is hired to conduct a care and contact assessment for a care… READ MORE
17/03/2024 Bertus Preller Best Interests of the Child, Children best interests, child advocacy, child development, child protection, child rights, child welfare, child-sensitive justice, children’s act, Constitutional Court, court judgments, cultural influences, custody disputes, educational well-being, Family Law, forensic social work, interdisciplinary approach, judicial decisions, Legal Analysis, legal guidelines, legal interpretation, legal principles, normative values, paramount consideration, Parental Rights, psychological assessment, socio-economic factors, South African Law Child-Centric Justice: Interpreting the Best Interests of the Child in South African Law. South African courts have long had experience in applying the “best interests” principle in matters such as custody or maintenance. In our new constitutional order, however, the scope of the… READ MORE
15/03/2024 Bertus Preller Best Interests of the Child, Parental Rights, Relocation Australia, Child Custody, child welfare, child's preference, Child's Best Interests, court decision, cross-border custody, cultural integration, Custodian Parent, custody agreement, educational impact, expert evidence, Family Advocate, Family Court, France, Hague Convention, International Relocation, judicial analysis, legal dispute, legal precedent, legal principles, non-custodial parent, parental consent, parental plans, Parental Rights, psychological evaluation, relocation guidelines, RH v NM, South African Family Law Navigating the Waters of International Child Relocation: A Legal Deep Dive into R.H v N.M (12871/2021) [2024] ZAWCHC 77 (11 March 2024). Navigating International Custody Disputes: Insights from RH v NM In the matter of RH v NM, the Western Cape High Court delved into a complex international custody dispute, providing significant… READ MORE