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EVICTING YOUR SPOUSE FROM THE MARITAL HOME

The home that a couple lives in during their marriage is called the matrimonial home. Sometimes, when couples separate or are getting divorced, one party wants the other spouse to move out. Can one spouse evict another from the home? The short answer is no. Irrespective of whether you

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CARE AND CONTACT ASSESSMENTS

Care & Contact Assessments are statutory investigations determining the best care and contact arrangements between a child, or children, and all co-holders of parental rights. Social workers or other forensic practitioners are qualified to conduct Care & Contact Assessments at the request of the court. Care & Contact Assessments

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LIVING ANNUITIES AND DIVORCE

In a significant ruling impacting divorce settlements, the Supreme Court of appeal has overturned a High Court ruling that excludes a living annuity from a spouse’s estate. A 2016 a ruling by the Johannesburg High Court that a living annuity should not be taken into account for the purposes

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GUARDIANSHIP OF A MINOR CHILD

Guardianship is an adults’ right and responsibility. In terms of the Children’s Act 38 of 2005 a person who acts as a guardian must: 1) Administer and safeguard the child’s property and property interests; 2) Assist or represent the child in administrative, contractual and other legal matters; or 3)

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CUSTOMARY MARRIAGES IN SOUTH AFRICA 

South African law recognises several marital regimes that spouses can enter into. One of these marital regimes is the customary marriage in terms of the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act No. 120 of 1998. A customary marriage means a marriage concluded in accordance with customary law. In order to

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A CHILD IN NEED OF CARE AND PROTECTION

It is common knowledge that one of the greatest ills plaguing our democracy is the neglect and abuse of children. Our Constitution entrenches children’s rights in our society, which include the right to safety and security, and parliament has given effect to such rights by enacting the Children’s Act,

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FILICIDE – DELIBERATE ACT OF A PARENT KILLING THEIR OWN CHILD

Filicide, is the murder of a child by a parent. Filicide is a multifaceted phenomenon with various causes and characteristics. Filicide is a relatively rare event. In attempts to determine reasons for child murder by parents, several authors have proposed general classification systems that categorize cases based mostly on

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CHILD MAINTENANCE IN ARREARS? WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

When a person who is legally liable to pay maintenance towards a minor child has not been meeting his or her obligations, an application can be brought for the enforcement of arrear maintenance. A Maintenance Officer may make an order which compels the person liable to pay such maintenance

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PARENTAL ALIENATION SYNDROME

Divorce and separation can breed bad blood between parents and children when one partner uses the children to target the other partner. Parental alienation can be described as the efforts on the part of one parent to turn a child, or children, against the other parent. Parental Alienation Syndrome,

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