Family law insights and commentary from the offices of divorce and family law attorney Simon Dippenaar.
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On Valentine’s Day thoughts turn to romance. Romantic gestures are fun, but don’t confuse them for love. As divorce lawyers, we sadly see many couples who love each other but can’t make their marriage work. (This doesn’t apply in all cases; some couples have fallen out of love, others have grown so apart in terms […]
Researchers say couples need not get along to benefit, and social isolation may increase type 2 diabetes risk There are various benefits to being in a relationship – but did you know that lowered risk of diabetes was one of them? Although this study appears to be scientifically robust, it shows that being in a […]
We came across this communication from a family court judge in the UK to two young brothers caught up in an acrimonious custody battle between their parents. It’s rather sweet that the judge took the time to explain his decision to the boys, who are old enough to have preferences but not old enough to […]
Do stepparents have a duty to support their stepchildren? Families come in all shapes and sizes, and a consequence of divorce is often a new blended family. A blended family (or stepfamily) forms when two people make a life together with the children from one or both of their previous relationships. What are the legal […]
What is it and why is it needed? Children’s rights are protected internationally by the Geneva Declaration on the Rights of the Child, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Child, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, and they […]
Reprinted from iol.com, by Zelda Venter – 2023-01-23 Pretoria – The Western Cape High Court is being asked to develop common law legislation to permit unmarried couples in life partnerships to claim maintenance from one another in the event of a separation. As the law stands, the right is reserved only for heterosexual couples who […]
In praise of marriage in community of property It’s common, in the event of divorce, for one spouse to keep the family home. Sometimes the asset may be sold. The spouses share the proceeds and go on to buy new properties that suit their new single lifestyle. But where there are children involved, one parent […]
Reprinted from BusinessTech, by Luke Fraser – 2023-01-22 The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) says separate agreements from an antenuptial contract – or prenup – are valid and enforceable. A prenup governs the matrimonial property system between two spouses and is entered into before a marriage concludes. However, there was recent confusion regarding the validity […]
