07/11/2026 Bertus Preller Appeal, Article 13(b) grave risk, Automatic Appeals under Section 18(4), Best Interests of the Child, Execution Pending Appeal, Hague Convention Age Limit (Article 4), Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, International Family Law, Protective Measures and Mirror Orders, Stay of execution, Views of the Child Article 13(b), Article 4 Hague Convention, Australia child abduction, best interests of the child, Central Authority South Africa, Chafin v Chafin, child over 16, Children's Act section 10, Children's Act section 7, exceptional circumstances, execution pending appeal, full bench, Hague Convention, Incubeta v Ellis, International Child Abduction, irreparable harm, Knoop v Gupta, Kusevitsky J dissent, Mirror Orders, Protective Measures, reportable judgment, return order, section 18 Superior Courts Act, section 18(4) automatic appeal, Supreme Court of Appeal Practice Directive 1/2024, Tyte Security Services, voice of the child, Western Cape High Court, Wille J A Hague Convention matter is not per se exceptional: when a return order must wait for the appeal. S C v L J H and Another (2026-105403) [2026] ZAWCHC 659 (6 November 2026). This case is about whether a High Court order directing the return of children to Australia under the Hague Convention may be put into operation under section 18(3) of the… READ MORE
15/06/2026 Bertus Preller 1996 Hague Convention, Abducting parent defences, Abduction, Article 13 defences, Article 13(a) consent, Article 13(b) grave risk, Children, Children's Court, Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction acquiescence, Ad Hoc Central Authority, ameliorative measures, Article 12, Article 13, Article 13(a), Article 13(b), Central Authority, Chapter 17, child abduction South Africa, Children’s Act 38 of 2005, Cloete J, ex post facto consent, grave risk defence, habitual residence, Hague Convention, International Child Abduction, KG v GB, Koch case, Penello, Plascon-Evans, relocation application, return order, rights of custody, Smith v Smith, Sonderup v Tondelli, undertakings, Western Cape High Court, wrongful retention Real, Positive and Unequivocal: How Ad Hoc Central Authority for the Republic of South Africa and Another v L.C.C (2026/034707) [2026] ZAWCHC 301 (10 June 2026) Tests Consent and Grave Risk Under the Hague Convention. This judgment is a useful working illustration of how our courts now approach return applications under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, incorporated into our… READ MORE
08/11/2025 Bertus Preller Abducting parent defences, Article 13 defences, Article 13(a) consent, Article 13(b) grave risk, Habitual Residence, Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, Left-behind parent rights, Prompt return of child, Wrongful removal of child abducting parent defences, ancillary relief, Article 13 defences, Article 13(a) consent, Article 13(b) grave risk, Central Authority South Africa, child return application, Convention proceedings, curator ad litem, custody proceedings, Denmark child abduction, family law South Africa, grave risk threshold, habitual residence, Hague Convention, International Child Abduction, intolerable situation, jurisdictional issues, Koch case, left-behind parent rights, Mirror Orders, N M v Central Authority, Plascon-Evans rule, prompt return of child, Protective Measures, Sonderup v Tondelli, summary proceedings, two-stage process, wrongful removal of child When Midnight Departures Belie Consent: Article 13 Defences Fail in International Child Abduction Case – Central Authority of the Republic of South Africa and Another v L (2025-178969) [2025] ZAGPJHC 1101 (3 November 2025). Factual Matrix: A Mother's Contested Departure from Denmark to South Africa The dispute before Adams J in the Gauteng Division of the High Court centred on a six-year-old boy who… READ MORE