Family Law

“Grandparents, like heroes, are as necessary to a child’s growth as vitamins.” (Quoted in the judgment below) One of the greatest tragedies of family fall-outs will always be the effect they have on the children involved. A recent High Court fight over a granny’s attempts to have contact with her two grandchildren in the face of bitter opposition from their father confirms that what really counts is what’s best for the grandchildren. A tragic death, and a family fight Two boys, aged 9 and 13, are the innocent subjects of this legal wrangle. They live with their father in Makhanda.…

“That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet.” (Shakespeare, in Romeo and Juliet) Your wedding to-do list will be a long one, and getting all the “boring legal bits” in order before you marry may not seem like a huge priority. But it is. Choices you make now will affect both of you (and your families) forever. One of those choices is what surname/s you want to adopt in your marriage. We’ll discuss your options below. And although they’re currently available only to women, there’s good news on that front – a recent High…

“Divorce is the one human tragedy that reduces everything to cash.” (Rita Mae Brown) How will the new “Three-Pot Retirement System” (often referred to as a “Two-Pot System”) affect financial arrangements on divorce? Retirement savings can amount to a significant portion of a marriage’s assets, so it’s important to understand the implications of the new system. First, a quick refresher Have a look at our graphic below for a neat summary of the three “pots” and what they’re all about. The “Vested Pot”: This will hold most of your existing (as at 1 September 2024) retirement investments, and the current regulations…

“Love is grand. Divorce is a hundred grand.” (Anon) In the boiler room that is the divorce court, it’s common to hear accusations and counter-accusations of one spouse disposing of or concealing marital assets to hide them from the other spouse. The good news is that our law provides effective ways to protect yourself in such a situation – but the onus is on you to prove your case. The outcome of a recent fight in the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) provides an excellent example. “You can’t do that!” Married out of community of property (with accrual), a Northwold…

“It is the purpose of this Act to afford the victims of domestic violence the maximum protection from domestic abuse that the law can provide” (Domestic Violence Act) When sibling rivalry escalates into physical or psychological abuse, victims should take advantage of the very strong protections offered to them by the Domestic Violence Act (“DVA”). As the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) has put it: “…the primary objective of the Act is to provide victims of domestic violence with an effective, uncomplicated, and swift legal remedy … and placing upon the courts and law enforcement functionaries’ extensive obligations to assist and protect victims of…