11/05/2025 Bertus Preller Accrual Calculation, Appeal, Commencement Values, Costs, Division of Estate, Divorce, Financial Disclosure, Procedure accrual claim, accrual system, Antenuptial Contract, binding agreement, commencement values, conclusive proof, contractual terms, declaration of value, divorce proceedings, divorce settlement, estate calculation, Estate Valuation, financial disclosure, inflation adjustment, legal precedent, marriage contracts, Marriage Dissolution, matrimonial agreements, matrimonial property, Matrimonial Property Act, out of community of property, prima facie proof, property declaration, section 6(3), South African divorce law, South African Law, statutory interpretation, Supreme Court of Appeal, wealth division Understanding the Recent Supreme Court of Appeal Ruling on Antenuptial Contracts On 9 May 2025, the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) delivered a landmark judgment in Manelis v Manelis (Case… READ MORE
06/05/2025 Bertus Preller Divorce, Interim Maintenance, Maintenance, Procedure, Rule 43, Separation Applications case analysis, convenience requirement, convenience test, court judgment, Divorce Decree, divorce litigation, divorce proceedings, divorce strategy, financial prejudice, irretrievable breakdown, Judicial Discretion, judicial economy, KwaZulu-Natal High Court, Legal Framework, legal implications, marital status, Marriage Dissolution, matrimonial disputes, matrimonial property, matrimonial rights, Mossop J, piecemeal litigation, prejudice assessment, proprietary consequences, Rule 43 Application, separation of issues, South African Family Law, spousal maintenance, Uniform Rule 33(4) “Shackled or Separated? High Court Dismisses Rule 33(4) Application in A.K v R.N (D6036/2023) [2025] ZAKZDHC 15 (30 April 2025)”. Introduction to A.K v R.N: A Case of Separation of Issues in Divorce Proceedings In the recent case of A.K v R.N (D6036/2023) ZAKZDHC 15 (30 April 2025), the KwaZulu-Natal… READ MORE
19/12/2024 Bertus Preller Costs, Divorce, Procedure, Recission of Divorce Orders, Settlement agreements condonation applications, consent agreement, consent paper validity, Consent Papers, consent validity, Court Jurisdiction, court order rescission, Court Procedures, divorce consent requirements, divorce law south africa, divorce order challenges, divorce order variation, divorce proceedings, divorce rights, divorce settlements, financial pressure divorce, High Court Judgment, legal consent, legal precedent, legal representation divorce, mapongwana aj, Marriage Dissolution, mental health divorce, rescission of court orders, rule 42 applications, rule 42 uniform rules, South African Family Law, undue influence divorce, Western Cape High Court No Easy Path to Rescind Divorce Orders: Western Cape High Court’s Ruling in MMS v LES (5910/2019) [2024] ZAWCHC (19 December 2024). Court Finds No Grounds for Rescission of Divorce Order Despite Claims of Undue Influence In an important judgment delivered by Acting Judge Mapongwana in the Western Cape Division of the… READ MORE
02/12/2024 Bertus Preller Actio communi dividundo, Division of Estate, Divorce, Islamic Law, Muslim Marriages, Procedure actio communi dividundo, bound co-ownership, constitutional equality, equal rights, free co-ownership, High Court Judgment, Islamic divorce, Islamic law, Islamic marriage, joint ownership, joint property, legal precedent, marital home, Marriage Dissolution, marriage property, property co-ownership, property dispute, Property Division, property division Islamic marriage, property rights, property sale, property settlement, Property Valuation, South African Law, South African property law, spousal contributions, spouse rights, Talaaq, Western Cape High Court Islamic Marriage Property Rights: High Court Champions Equal Division in K.A v A.E and Another (15857/24) [2024] ZAWCHC 392 (27 November 2024). Background: From Islamic Marriage to Property Dispute The Western Cape High Court recently grappled with a property division dispute stemming from a dissolved Islamic marriage in K.A v A.E and… READ MORE
17/09/2024 Bertus Preller Accrual Calculation, Actio communi dividundo, Divorce, Marital Regimes accrual system, actio communi dividundo, Antenuptial Contract, bound co-ownership, divorce proceedings, equitable distribution, Judicial Discretion, marital home, Marriage Dissolution, matrimonial property, Property Division, property rights, South African Law, spousal maintenance Bound by Marriage: The Complex Co-ownership Conundrum in P.N v A.E (20081/2023) [2024] ZAWCHC 266 – (16 September 2024). Background: Marriage, Property Acquisition, and Divorce Proceedings In the case of P.N v A.E (20081/2023) ZAWCHC 266 (16 September 2024), we encounter a dispute between married partners over the termination… READ MORE
22/03/2024 Bertus Preller Accrual Calculation, Antenuptial Contracts, Divorce accrual system, Antenuptial Contract, asset calculation, Asset Division, commencement assets, commencement value, contractual terms, court judgment, Divorce, divorce litigation, estate accrual, Estate Valuation, Family Law, Financial Disputes, Legal Analysis, legal interpretation, legal precedent, marital agreements, Marriage Dissolution, matrimonial property, property exclusion, South African Law, spousal rights, T.N v N.G Commencement Values in Divorce: Analysing T.N v N.G (formerly N) and Others (18159/2013) [2018] ZAWCHC 29; 2018 (4) SA 316 (WCC) (12 March 2018) and the Impact on Antenuptial Contract Interpretation in South Africa. Introduction and Facts In the case of T.N v N.G (formerly N) and Others, the Western Cape Division of the High Court in Cape Town presided over a divorce action… READ MORE
27/01/2024 Bertus Preller Abuse, Adultery, Coercive Control, Costs, Divorce, Emotional Abuse, Financial Abuse, Forfeiture of Benefits, In Community of Property, Infidelity, Physical Abuse, Psychological Abuse, Reasons for Dicorce Asset Division, asset forfeiture in divorce, court evidence, court judgments, divorce case analysis, Divorce Law, divorce litigation, divorce outcomes, divorce settlements, equitable distribution, extra-marital affairs, family court dynamics, family law case studies, forfeiture, legal implications, Legal proceedings, Legal Strategy, marital breakdown, Marriage Dissolution, matrimonial conduct, matrimonial disputes, patrimonial benefits, personal conduct, physical abuse, protection orders, South African Family Law, spousal allegations, spousal behavior, spouse behavior in divorce Infidelity, Abuse, and Forfeiture: Behind the Gavel – Deciphering the Role of Personal Conduct in Divorce Outcomes in South African Courts. – M.F.B v J.B (5674/2016) [2024] ZALMPPHC 7 (24 January 2024). Background and Claims In the case presided over by Naude-Odendaal J, the Plaintiff M.F.B filed for divorce against the Defendant J.B on 23 November 2016. The Plaintiff sought a decree… READ MORE
23/11/2023 Bertus Preller Accrual Calculation, anti-dissipatory relief, Divorce, Marital Regimes, Settlement agreements Accrual Calculation, Antenuptial Contract, Asset Disclosure, Asset Division, Court Rulings, Divorce Law, divorce proceedings, divorce settlements, Estate Valuation, Financial Outcomes, Financial Settlements, legal implications, Legal Insights, Liability Consideration, Marital Assets., Marriage Dissolution, matrimonial property, Matrimonial Property Act, Property Valuation, South African Law Timing is Everything: The Crucial Role of Accrual Calculation Date in Divorce Cases. R.D.M v M.T.M (M608/22) [2023] ZANWHC 216 (21 November 2023). The facts of the case, as presented in the judgment, revolve around an application for the provisional sequestration of the respondent's estate, following the dissolution of a marriage under South… READ MORE
22/11/2023 Bertus Preller Alimony, Costs, Divorce, Financial Disclosure, Maintenance, Marriage, Rule 43, Spousal Maintenance 2023 legal cases, divorce proceedings, equitable settlements, family court decisions, Family Law, financial assessments in divorce, financial disclosure, interim maintenance, legal case study, legal obligations, legal transparency, maintenance applications, Marriage Dissolution, matrimonial law, P.P v V.P, Rule 43 Application, South African court ruling, spousal maintenance, spousal support Unmasking Financial Realities in P.P v V.P: A Ruling on Interim Maintenance and Rule 43 (027686/2022) [2023] ZAGPJHC 1345 (21 November 2023). Mia J Rule 43 Application Background of the Case In July 1985, the applicant and respondent were married in community of property. The applicant, who intermittently worked as a school… READ MORE
22/09/2023 Bertus Preller Abuse, Alimony, Children, Divorce, Financial Disclosure, Forfeiture of Benefits, Maintenance, Marriage, Parental Rights, Pension Funds, Settlement agreements, Spousal Maintenance Asset Division, Bertus Preller, Children's Welfare, court order, Divorce, Divorce Attorney Cape Town, Divorce News, Family Law, Legal Costs, maintenance, Marriage Dissolution, Parental Responsibilities, Pension Forfeiture, Property Valuation, Questionable Conduct, Settlement, South African Law, spousal support When Love Goes Sour and Assets Get Tangled: How One Husband’s Questionable Conduct, Refusal to Settle, and Legal Maneuvering Shaped a Divorce Ruling. N.S v M.F.S (20/27078) ZAGPJHC 1044 (19 September 2023) Litigation History The Defendant represented himself, while the Plaintiff had legal representation. The Defendant filed 12 applications against the Plaintiff, most… READ MORE