30/08/2026 Bertus Preller Abuse of Process, Alimony, Contumacious conduct, Divorce, Litigation misconduct, Procedural Law, Spousal Maintenance, Substantial misconduct, Substantial misconduct, Vexatious litigation change of front, conduct of parties, costs Rule 28(9), divorce amendment, divorce counterclaim, divorce pleadings, facta probantia, family law South Africa, irrelevant matter, J.P v M.P, Jowell v Bramwell-Jones, leave to amend, maintenance claim, matrimonial misconduct, Moolman v Estate Moolman, no-fault divorce, pleading evidence, Rule 18(4), Rule 23, Rule 28, S.T.H v A.T.H, scandalous allegations, Section 7(2) Divorce Act, spousal maintenance, striking out, Vaatz v Law Society, vexatious pleadings, Western Cape High Court, withdrawal of admission Pleading Fault in a No-Fault Divorce: When Do Conduct Allegations Cross the Line? J.P v M.P (13220/2021) [2026] ZAWCHC 410 (12 August 2026). Few interlocutory judgments manage to say something useful about both civil procedure and substantive family law in the same breath. The recent decision of Greig AJ in the Western Cape… READ MORE
17/04/2026 Bertus Preller Alter ego trust, Attorney and client costs, Costs, Divorce, Insolvent spouse litigation, Out of community of property, Piercing the corporate veil, Procedural Law, Punitive Cost Orders, Punitive costs orders, Redistribution Claim, Rule 47 Uniform Rules of Court, Section 23(6) Insolvency Act, Section 34 Constitution access to courts, Section 7(3) Divorce Act, Security for costs, Security for costs, Trust joinder divorce, Trusts, Trusts, Vexatious Litigant, Vexatious litigation alter ego doctrine, attorney and client costs Scale B, corporate veil family law, discretionary remedy security for costs, divorce litigation strategy, divorce trusts South Africa, family law South Africa, Fusion Properties v Stellenbosch Municipality, impecunious spouse constitutional rights, insolvent spouse litigation, joinder of companies divorce, joinder of trusts divorce, piercing the corporate veil, redistribution claim trusts, redistribution of assets, Rule 47 Uniform Rules of Court, section 23(6) Insolvency Act, section 34 Constitution access to courts, section 7(3) Divorce Act, security for costs, Shepstone & Wiley v Geyser, tactical litigation abuse of process, trust beneficiary divorce South Africa, trust joinder divorce, unrehabilitated insolvent divorce, vexatious litigation divorce, Welgemoed AJ, Western Cape High Court, ZAWCHC 2026 Piercing the Veil and Opening the Courthouse Doors: How South African Courts Refuse to Let Security for Costs Become a Weapon of Oppression in Divorce Litigation — M.A.V. NO and Others v E.V (Case No. 8692/2020) [2026] ZAWCHC 167 (14 April 2026). The Facts: Divorce, Sequestration and a Web of Trusts and Companies The matter of M.A.V. NO and Others v E.V (Case No. 8692/2020) ZAWCHC 167 (14 April 2026) concerns an… READ MORE
16/12/2025 Bertus Preller Abuse of Process, Access to justice section 34, Attorney and client costs, Bona fide defence, Civil contempt South Africa, Contempt of Court, Contempt of court maintenance, Contumacious conduct, Costs, Discovery, Divorce, Duty to court, Good cause rescission, Hostile Family Lawyers, Inherent powers of court, Legal practitioner complicity, legal practitioner ethical duties, LPC Code of Conduct, Matrimonial proceedings discovery, Muslim Marriages, Procedural Law, Procedural non-compliance, Procedure, Punitive costs orders, Rescission of default judgment, Rule 35(1) discovery, Rule 35(3) notice, Rule 35(7), Section 173 Constitution, Serial contempt, Stalingrad tactics, Striking out defence, Uniform Form Rules of Court, Vexatious Litigant, Vexatious litigation, Vindicating court authority abuse of court process, Attorney and Client Costs, bona fide defence, chamber book applications, contempt of court, contumacious conduct, discovery obligations, divorce action, duty to court, family law litigation, good cause rescission, inherent powers of court, legal practitioner complicity, legal practitioner ethical duties, LPC Code of Conduct, maintenance claims, procedural non-compliance, punitive costs orders, rescission of default judgment, Rule 35(3) notice, Rule 35(7), section 173 Constitution, section 60.1, section 60.2, serial contempt, Stalingrad tactics, striking out defence, vindicating court authority, wilful default When the Court Draws a Line in the Sand: Striking Out for Serial Contempt and Abuse of Process in S.L v A.C (8030/2021) [2025] ZAWCHC 565 (4 December 2025). Introduction The case of S.L v A.C (8030/2021) ZAWCHC 565 (4 December 2025) serves as a stark reminder that access to justice does not mean access to courts on one's… READ MORE
13/07/2025 Bertus Preller Alter ego trust, Divorce, Res judicata divorce, Stay of execution, Vexatious litigation abuse of process, alter ego trust, attorney own client costs, civil procedure divorce, CRW v LMW 2025, divorce enforcement, divorce law precedent, divorce trust ruling, family court Cape Town, family law trusts, Le Grange J, legal costs divorce, litigation misconduct, res judicata divorce, rescission of judgment, Rule 45A, Rule 46A, security for costs, South African case law, South African divorce law, stay of execution, trust abuse divorce, trust execution divorce, vexatious litigant South Africa, vexatious litigation, vexatious Proceedings Act, Western Cape High Court, ZAWCHC 279 Lawfare in the Divorce Courts: C.R.W v L.M.W and Another (12866/2014) [2025] ZAWCHC 279 (2 July 2025) Unmasks Vexatious Litigation and Trust Abuse. The Factual Backdrop: A Relentless Legal Battle Post-Divorce The saga in C.R.W v L.M.W and Another (12866/2014) ZAWCHC 279 (2 July 2025) represents one of the most protracted and acrimonious… READ MORE