04/08/2025 Bertus Preller Abuse of Process, Alimony, Anti-Dissipation Interdicts, anti-dissipatory relief, Child Maintenance, Children, Divorce, International Divorce, Maintenance, Procedural Law, Spousal Maintenance abuse of process, anti-dissipatory interdict, asset dissipation, asset protection, balance of convenience, Bassani Mining, bona fide expenditure, child maintenance, Colombian marriage law, cost orders, cross-border divorce, divorce proceedings, Family Law, foreign matrimonial regime, Hemiparesis disability, intention requirement, interim interdict, international divorce, jurisdictional requirements, Knox D'Arcy test, KSL v AL, mala fide conduct, matrimonial law, prima facie right, procedural pitfalls, spousal maintenance, urgent applications, Western Cape High Court Title: When Cross-Border Divorces Meet Anti-Dissipatory Interdicts: Intention, Abuse of Process and the Knox D’Arcy Test in T.S v J.V.C.P and Another (20783/24) [2025] ZAWCHC 325 (1 August 2025). Factual Matrix: A Cross-Border Marriage in Crisis This case presents the complexities that arise when a marriage governed by foreign law encounters the South African legal system during dissolution proceedings.… READ MORE
24/06/2025 Bertus Preller Abduction, Best Interests of the Child, Children, Contempt of Court, Costs, Habitual Residence, Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, Holiday Travel, Immigration, International Divorce, International Family Law, International Travel, Joint Decision Making, Parental Alienation, Parental Rights, Punitive Cost Orders, Relocation attorney and client scale, best interests of children, care and contact assessment, child abduction, child custody orders, contempt of court, contempt proceedings urgency, cross-border custody disputes, cross-border litigation, divorce proceedings, Easter holiday dispute, emergency passports, family court jurisdiction, Hague Convention, hearsay evidence, international child retention, international enforcement, judicial authority vindication, Jurisdictional Challenges, mala fides presumption, postponement applications, punitive costs, sine die postponement, South African Family Law, suspended imprisonment, Swiss courts, travel documentation, Western Cape High Court, wilful non-compliance When Easter Holidays Turn Into International Child Retention: T.A.M-W v C.M.M (2025/030666) [2025] ZAWCHC 217 (23 May 2025) and the Limits of Cross-Border Contempt Orders. Key Takeaways This landmark judgment demonstrates that South African courts will not hesitate to use their full arsenal of sanctions when parties deliberately flout agreed court orders, particularly where children's… READ MORE
01/11/2024 Bertus Preller Contempt of Court, Costs, Divorce, Hiding Assets, International Divorce, Procedure, Settlement agreements asset distribution, civil debt, civil imprisonment, civil procedure, constitutional law, contempt of court, court authority, Court Orders, cross-border enforcement, debt enforcement, Divorce Act, divorce litigation, divorce settlement, doctrine of effectiveness, emigration consequences, foreign jurisdiction, international debtor, international divorce, international enforcement, jurisdiction, Justice Wille, Legal Jurisdiction, maintenance arrears, maintenance obligations, matrimonial property, monetary judgments, nulla bona, Saudi Arabia, South African Law, Western Cape High Court From Cape Town to Saudi: Why Your Ex Can’t Be Jailed Abroad – V.L v O.C.V (11677/2006 ; 18206/2007) [2024] ZAWCHC 338 (29 October 2024). Background: A 17-Year-Old Divorce Settlement Gone Wrong Picture this: A divorce settlement from 2006, a respondent who jetted off to Saudi Arabia, and an ex-spouse wielding a court order like… READ MORE
18/10/2024 Bertus Preller Adversarial Legal System, Best Interests of the Child, Child Maintenance, Children, Cohabitation, Costs, Divorce, International Divorce, Procedural Law, Relocation, Separation Applications child maintenance, cross-border family law, Dubai relocation, enforceability, High Court Judgment, international divorce, jurisdiction, minor children's interests, punitive costs, Rule 33(4), Rule 43, separation of issues, South Africa, Urgent Application Dubai Dreams vs. Divorce Duties: GK v KK (2015-96997) [2024] ZAGPPHC 1015 (16 October 2024) – Unravels International Family Law Challenges in Separation Applications. Background: The Complexities of an International Divorce The case of GK v KK (2015-96997) ZAGPPHC 1015 (16 October 2024) highlights the intricate challenges that arise when divorce proceedings intersect with… READ MORE
19/08/2024 Bertus Preller Costs, Divorce, Domicile, International Divorce adverse inferences, affidavits, attachment orders, Burden of Proof, costs, credibility, domicile, ex parte orders, full disclosure, incola, international litigation, jurisdiction, Legal Fees, motion proceedings, peregrinus, Plascon-Evans rule, reconsideration applications, residence, South African Law, Uniform Rules of Court Domicile Dilemma: Unraveling Jurisdictional Complexities in J.M v N.C (2023/00100) [2024] ZAGPJHC 762 (16 August 2024). Background: The Legal Dispute Between J.M and N.C The case of J.M v N.C (2023/00100) ZAGPJHC 762 (16 August 2024) originated from a dispute over legal fees between J. Mahomed,… READ MORE
09/02/2024 Bertus Preller Costs, Division of Estate, Divorce, In Community of Property, International Divorce, International Divorce, Liquidator, Marital Regimes, Procedural Law Antenuptial Contract, Bertus Preller, cross-border marriage, divorce proceedings, expert evidence, F. Bezuidenhout AJ, financial disclosure, foreign marriage, full disclosure, immediate division, international private law, landmark case, legal precedent, legal principles, Lex Domicilii Matrimonii, matrimonial consequences, matrimonial disputes, matrimonial domicile, matrimonial law, matrimonial property, Matrimonial Property Act, MPA, new case, new judgement, procedural law, Rule 36(9), Rule 43 applications, South African Law, Substantive Law Deciphering L.E v L.A (1884/2018) [2024] ZAGPJHC 104 (9 February 2024): A Landmark Case on Foreign Marriages and South African Property Law. – 9 February 2024. Introduction to the Case In a landmark decision that navigates the intersection of matrimonial law and international private law, the High Court of South Africa, Gauteng Division, Johannesburg, was presented… READ MORE
30/11/2023 Bertus Preller Costs, Divorce, Financial Disclosure, Hiding Assets, International Divorce Appeal Process, Asset Concealment, Co-ownership, Court Rulings, Divorce, Family Law, Financial Disputes, Legal Consequences South African Law, legal obligations, Legal Perspective, Legal precedents, Legal Representation, Legal Strategy, maintenance claims, Marital Assets, Namibian Law, Property Division, Property Transfer, Public Policy, Trust Agreements Divorce and Deception: A Landmark Case on Hidden Assets and Legal Consequences – Insights from Namibian Law: Oberholzer v Loots and another (SA 33-2021) NASC [2023] (22 November 2023) Background and Relationship between the Parties The Appellant and the Respondent were involved in a personal relationship. During this period, they lived together and were engaged in the management and… READ MORE
29/11/2023 Bertus Preller Accrual Calculation, Alimony, Costs, Divorce, Financial Disclosure, International Divorce, International Divorce, Spousal Maintenance Cross-Border Complexities in High-Net-Worth Divorce: An In-Depth International Case Study from South Africa. – AG v YG (3932/2016) [2023] ZAWCHC 147. Introduction to the Case The case in question, a highly contentious divorce, began when the wife-initiated proceedings against her husband on 7 March 2016. After numerous interlocutory applications and delays,… READ MORE