13/11/2024 Bertus Preller Alimony, Appeal, Arrear Maintenance Variation, Arrears, Best Interests of the Child, Child Maintenance, Children, Costs, Maintenance, Maintenance Court, Variation child interests, child maintenance, child rights, Constitutional Court, court access, judicial authority, judicial integrity, Legal Practitioners, Maintenance Act, maintenance appeals, maintenance arrears, maintenance beneficiaries, maintenance claims, maintenance compliance, maintenance courts, maintenance default, maintenance discharge, maintenance enforcement, maintenance judgments, maintenance jurisdiction, maintenance law, maintenance obligations, maintenance officers, maintenance orders, maintenance proceedings, maintenance variations, maintenance write-offs, Prescription Period, punitive costs, SS v VV-S Maintenance Orders in South African Law Constitutional Court Jurisprudence and Fundamental Principles Introduction The enforcement of maintenance orders in South Africa has evolved significantly through Constitutional Court jurisprudence. The landmark case SS v VVS 2018 (6)… READ MORE
29/08/2024 Bertus Preller Adversarial Legal System, Costs, Maintenance, Procedural Law, Procedure, Rule 43 attorney fees, brevity, case management, court efficiency, divorce proceedings, Family Law, interim relief, Judicial Discretion, judicial rebuke, KwaZulu-Natal High Court, Legal Education, Legal Ethics, Legal Practitioners, matrimonial disputes, Mossop J, procedural abuse, prolixity, Rule 43, South Africa Judicial Crackdown on Verbose Rule 43 Applications: S.M v N.M (D6667/2024) [2024] ZAKZDHC 54 – (28 August 2024) The Essence of Rule 43: Brevity and Expediency in Matrimonial Proceedings In the recent High Court judgment of S.M v N.M (D6667/2024) ZAKZDHC 54 (28 August 2024), Judge Mossop delivered… READ MORE
25/07/2024 Bertus Preller Accrual Calculation, Antenuptial Contracts, Appeal, Divorce, Pacta sunt servanda, Procedural Law, Procedure, Settlement agreements accrual system, appealable order, civil procedure, client advice, client communication, common mistake, contract law, divorce settlement, Family Law, judicial interpretation, justus error, legal certainty, Legal Practitioners, professional liability, settlement agreement, South African Law, Supreme Court of Appeal, thorough preparation, variation Legal Pitfalls in Divorce Settlements: B v B [2024] ZASCA 116 (24 July 2024). Warns Practitioners. The Dispute: A Settlement Agreement Under Scrutiny The case of B v B (259/2023) ZASCA 116 originated from a divorce settlement that quickly became contentious after its conclusion. The parties,… READ MORE
08/04/2024 Bertus Preller Costs, Divorce, Procedural Law 2023/123933, 2024, Combined Summons, Condonation, costs order, deviation, Divorce Act 70 of 1979, divorce actions, duty, Gauteng Division, High Court, ineffectual, irregular service, Johannesburg, L.R v T.S, Legal Practitioners, Legal Requirements, misrepresentation, non-compliance, nullity, personal service, Practice Directive, prejudice, prescription, proceedings, Registrar, Sheriff, signature, standard forms, Unopposed Divorce Roll, ZAGPJHC 336 L.R v T.S (2023/123933) [2024] ZAGPJHC 336 (5 April 2024): High Court Emphasises Importance of Personal Service in Divorce Actions. Background and Facts of the Case The Plaintiff, L.R., instituted divorce proceedings against the Defendant, T.S., and set the matter down on the Unopposed Divorce Court roll. The parties had… READ MORE
16/02/2024 Bertus Preller Divorce, Procedural Law, Subpoenas abuse of process, administration of justice, attorney-client privilege, Burden of Proof, Case Law, challenge subpoena, compliance, contempt of court, court rules, dispute resolution, divorce subpoena, document production, evidence gathering, fair trial, judicial interpretation, Legal Disputes, Legal Framework, Legal Practitioners, legal privilege, Legal proceedings, privacy laws, relevance test, rights protection, Rule of Law, setting aside subpoena, South African Law, subpoena ad testificandum, subpoena duces tecum, subpoenas, Uniform Rules of Court, witness testimony Setting Aside a Subpoena in Divorce Proceedings: A Legal Analysis. In the realm of divorce litigation, the issuance and subsequent challenge to a subpoena duces tecum is a critical aspect that can significantly influence the course of proceedings. The purpose… READ MORE
11/10/2023 Bertus Preller Alimony, Arrears, Divorce, Interim Maintenance, Maintenance, Marriage, Rule 43, Spousal Maintenance Attorney Conduct, Bertus Preller, contempt of court, Court Orders, Divorce News, divorce proceedings, Family Law, Financial Arrears, Judicial System, Legal Accountability, Legal Practitioners, maintenance obligations, non-compliance, Rule 43, Rule 43 Order, Suspended Sentence, Urgent Application When Lawyers Drop the Ball: The Tale of Divorce, Defiance, and a Suspended Sentence. S.F.S. v A.J.S (11676/2018) ZAGPJHC 1142 (11 October 2023) The Facts The Applicant, who was in the midst of a contentious divorce, urgently approached the court, accusing the Respondent of… READ MORE