08/12/2025 Bertus Preller Accrual system, Clean Break Principle, Cohabitation, Costs, Direct financial contributions, Division of Estate, Divorce, Divorce Act 70 of 1979, EB v ER Constitutional Court, Equitable redistribution, Marriage, Marriage equality, matrimonial asset division, Out of community of property, Procedure, Punitive Cost Orders, Redistribution Claim, Rehabilitative maintenance, Section 7(2) maintenance, Section 7(3) Divorce Act, Section 7(4) contributions, Universal Partnership accrual system, antenuptial contract without accrual, Attorney and Client Costs, Beaumont v Beaumont, clean break principle, cohabitation before marriage, direct financial contributions, domestic partnership, EB v ER Constitutional Court, equitable redistribution, estate valuation disputes, family law redistribution, full court binding precedent, household duties, indirect contributions to estate, matrimonial asset division, Matrimonial Property Regime, out of community of property, Ponelat v Schrephfer, post-separation conduct, redistribution claims, rehabilitative maintenance, section 7(2) maintenance, section 7(3) Divorce Act, section 7(4) contributions, South African divorce law, spousal maintenance, trust asset disclosure, universal partnership Beyond Marriage: 30 Years, 40% Redistribution and the Universal Partnership Principle – E.L.M v L.M (9360/2022P) [2025] ZAKZPHC 127 (5 December 2025). Facts and Matrimonial Background: A 30-Year Relationship The parties in this matter were married out of community of property without the accrual system on 27 March 1999, following a six-year… READ MORE
10/02/2024 Bertus Preller Divorce, Procedural Law, Procedure, Universal Partnership amendment, amendment application, Asset Division, Court Directives, De Klerk v Du Plessis, defence preparation, divorce proceedings, excipiable issues, judicial decision, Judicial Service Commission v Cape Bar Council, legal amendments, Legal Analysis, legal objections, legal practice, Legal precedents, legal ruling, Legal Strategy, litigation, Manyatshe v South African Post Office, non-joinder, particulars of claim, PITMAN AJ, procedural fairness, profit motive, Smith v Conelect, South African Law, special plea, universal partnership Procedural Law – Amending a Particulars of Claim – M-B.F.M v H.P.N.P (5182/2022P) [2024] ZAKZPHC 8 (8 February 2024). Introduction to the Amendment Dispute In a noteworthy case, PITMAN AJ presided over a case that brought to the fore a contentious issue regarding the amendment of the particulars of… READ MORE
18/12/2023 Bertus Preller Life Partnerships, Universal Partnership cohabitation rights, estate disputes, estate management, estate rights, Family Law, inheritance law, joint asset ownership, landmark judgment, legal case analysis, legal precedent, legal recognition, LL v CH N.O., non-marital relationships, partnership outside marriage, property sharing, relationship law, South Africa High Court, South African Law, universal partnership Unveiling the Invisible Ties: How a Landmark Case Redefined Universal Partnerships in South Africa. – L.L v C.H NO and Others (A018010/2023) [2023] ZAGPJHC 1440 (12 December 2023). Introduction In the case involving LL (Appellant) and CH N.O. (First Respondent) among others, the central issue revolved around the existence of a universal partnership between LL and the late… READ MORE
09/01/2023 Bertus Preller Common Law Marriage in South Africa, Common Law Wife, Life Partnerships, Living Together, Universal Partnership Civil Partnership, cohabitation, cohabitation agreement, common law marriage in South Africa, Divorce, Divorce Attorney Cape Town, Family Law cases, Family Law News, family law news South Africa, universal partnership Judge finds a Universal Partnership in a Cohabitation Relationship Introduction In the recent case of LM v RK ZAWCHC 1; 1 All SA 738, Nziweni AJ found that a universal partnership existed in a cohabitation relationship. Living together does… READ MORE