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
11/06/2024 Bertus Preller Divorce, Forfeiture of Benefits asset distribution, Beaumont v Beaumont, community of property, court ruling, Divorce, Divorce Act 70 of 1979, divorce settlement, Family Law, financial support, forfeiture, immovable property, irretrievable breakdown, joint estate, Klerck v Klerck, KT v MR, Legal Framework, Legal precedents, legal professionals, M.C.N v G.M.L.N, maintenance, marital breakdown, matrimonial property, misconduct, paternity, patrimonial benefits, pension fund, primary breadwinner, South Africa, substantial misconduct Breaking Down the M.C.N v G.M.L.N (Born M.) (1629/2022) [2024] ZAGPPHC 516 (7 June 2024) Divorce Case: Forfeiture of Patrimonial Benefits in South Africa. Case Summary In the case of M.C.N v G.M.L.N (Born M.) (1629/2022) ZAGPPHC 516 (7 June 2024) the parties were married in community of property in 2000. The marriage lasted… READ MORE
06/06/2024 Bertus Preller Divorce, Forfeiture of Benefits, In Community of Property 2024 ZAECMHC 37, Botha v Botha, Case Law, community of property, court judgment, division of property, Divorce Act, divorce judgment, Divorce Law, Eastern Cape Division, Engelbrecht v Engelbrecht, Family Law, Forfeiture of benefits, High Court, joint estate, Legal Analysis, legal appeal, legal precedent, marital benefits, marital home, matrimonial dispute, matrimonial property, pension interest, regional court, Section 9, South Africa, undue benefit, V G v T M, Wijker v Wijker, Z v Z Forfeiture of Benefits in Divorce: Analysis of V G v T M [2024] ZAECMHC 37. Introduction and Background of the Case The case of V G v T M ZAECMHC 37 revolves around an appeal by the appellant, V G, against the judgment rendered by… READ MORE
02/06/2024 Bertus Preller Best Interests of the Child, Children, Curator Ad Litem, Divorce, Guardianship, Parental Rights, Relocation, Views of the Child AR v BMR, best interests of the child, best practices, care and contact disputes, challenges, Child Participation, child-centered approach, children's rights, children's act, civil matters, Constitution, Court Proceedings, curator ad litem, family justice system care and contact, Family Law, independence, Legal Ethics, Legal Representation, objectivity, South Africa The Crucial Role of Curators Ad Litem in Protecting Children’s Interests in South African Care and Contact Matters. Introduction The appointment of a curator ad litem in legal matters involving the care and well-being of children has become increasingly important in ensuring that the best interests of the… READ MORE
01/06/2024 Bertus Preller Best Interests of the Child, Children, Conduct of Childcare Experts, Guardianship, Parental Rights, Relocation, Views of the Child best interests of the child, child development, Child Relocation, child's views, Children’s Act 38 of 2005, clinical psychologist, co-parenting, competing interests, counselling psychologist, emotional well-being, expert evidence, Family Law, landmark decision, meaningful relationship, non-relocating parent, Parental Rights, parenting plan, reasonableness of relocation, relocating parent, relocation application, relocation assessment, relocation dispute, relocation factors, relocation hearing, relocation judgment, relocation order, section 28(2) Constitution, shared parenting, urgent relief V.L v F.N (4760/2024) [2024] ZAWCHC 146 (30 May 2024) – A Court Decision in Family Law on Child Relocation. Introduction In the recent case of V.L v F.N (4760/2024) ZAWCHC 146, delivered on 30 May 2024, the Western Cape High Court was faced with a complex and emotionally charged… READ MORE
24/05/2024 Bertus Preller Counselling, Divorce, Divorce Statistics, Infidelity, Marriage, Reasons for Dicorce active listening, Bertus Preller, communication breakdown, Divorce, divorce lawyer, emotional support, Everyone’s Guide to Divorce and Separation, Family Law, infidelity, infidelity types, James Sexton, Lex Fridman, love, love impermanence, marriage, matrimonial law, modern love, Navigating Relationships, podcast insights, rebuilding trust, relationship advice, Relationship Challenges, relationship resilience, romantic expectations, social media impact, soulmate myth, South Africa, The Diary of a CEO, The Unexpected Counsellor Navigating the Complexities of Love, Marriage, and Divorce: Insights from America’s Top Divorce Lawyer, James Sexton. Introduction As a divorce lawyer with more than 30 years of experience in South Africa, I found listening to James Sexton's discussions on The Diary of a CEO and Lex… READ MORE
23/05/2024 Bertus Preller Divorce, Muslim Marriages asset redistribution, Child Custody, child welfare, cultural diversity, Divorce, Divorce Act 1979, Divorce Amendment Act 2024, equality, fairness, Family Law, forfeiture of patrimonial benefits, Islamic tenets, justice, Legal Protection, legal recognition, Marital Assets, Muslim marriages, religious practices, South Africa Understanding the New Divorce Amendment Act No. 01 of 2024: Enhancing Legal Protection for Muslim Marriages The Divorce Amendment Act, 2024, marks a significant milestone in the recognition and protection of Muslim marriages in South Africa. By integrating specific provisions for Muslim marriages into the existing… READ MORE
21/05/2024 Bertus Preller Best Interests of the Child, Children, Parental Rights, Procedure, Relocation, Schooling, Urgency, Views of the Child best interests of the child, child contact, child welfare, children's act, court order, court procedure, Divorce, East Rock Trading, Family Advocate, Family Law, Grootboom case, High Court, Johannesburg, judicial oversight, Legal Framework, legal principles, Mediation, Parental Rights, Procedural Compliance, procedural rules, relocation disputes, settlement agreement, shared custody, Uniform Rule 6(12), urgency test, urgent child relocation, Western Cape, ZAWCHC E.L.B v A.V.M (7521/24) [2024] ZAWCHC 132: Implications for Urgent Child Relocation Applications. Background and Context of E.L.B v A.V.M (7521/24) ZAWCHC 132 The Western Cape Division of the High Court of South Africa was tasked with resolving a highly contentious and urgent… READ MORE
30/04/2024 Bertus Preller Adversarial Legal System, Children, Divorce, Hostile Family Lawyers, Maintenance, Settlement agreements attorney behavior, attorney-client relationship, case analysis, child maintenance, conflict resolution in family law, courtroom behavior, D v D, effective dispute resolution, emotive language, ethical practice, family court conduct, Family Law, family law attorneys, High Court Johannesburg, impact of decorum, judicial guidance, judicial opinions, legal decorum, Legal Ethics, legal professionalism, legal representatives, non-hostile conduct, professional behavior, settlement agreement, South African Family Law, strategic legal practice, ZAGPJHC 1688 Encouraging Decorum: The Importance of Non-Hostile Conduct Among Family Law Attorneys in D v D (2021/23816) [2024] ZAGPJHC 1688 (26 April 2024). Introduction In the case of D v D (2021/23816) ZAGPJHC 1688 (26 April 2024), the crux of the matter stemmed from the respondent's decision to issue a writ of execution… READ MORE
22/04/2024 Bertus Preller Arrears, Child Maintenance, Children, Divorce, Maintenance, Procedure arrears, attachment of assets, costs order, counsel's fees, discretion, divorce order, factual basis, Family Law, High Court, inherent jurisdiction, injustice, maintenance court, maintenance enforcement, movable property, new costs rules, oppressive conduct, post-divorce dispute, precedent, right of election, self-supporting children, settlement agreement, stay of execution, substantive engagement, taxation, trust funds, Writ of Execution High Court Upholds Writ of Execution for Unpaid Maintenance Despite Forum Challenge. – M.R v L.O and Others (2023/070007) [2024] ZAGPJHC 371, (16 April 2024). Facts of the Case M.R v L.O and Others revolves around a dispute between former spouses over allegedly unpaid child maintenance. When the parties divorced, their divorce order incorporated a… READ MORE