I require a law firm to assist me in my legal matter in the Magistrate’s Court.

What are your contact details?

If you require an Advocate Law Firm to assist you in your legal matter, feel free to contact us using the following details: The services you may instruct the firm of Advocate Muhammad Abduroaf to represent you in are as follows:

High Court matters

  • Civil claim surrounding money;
  • Interdicts;
  • Divorces (Opposed and unopposed);
  • Child Custody and guardianship disputes;
  • Relocation of minor children;
  • Various criminal matters;
  • Minor children surname changes;
  • Appeals and Reviews; and
  • Other matters.

Magistrates Court matters

  • Civil claim surrounding money;
  • Various criminal matters;
  • Interdicts;
  • Maintenance Court matters;
  • Divorces Court matters (Opposed and unopposed)’
  • Children’s Court matter; and
  • Other matters.

Constitutional Court

  • Appeals

Supreme Court of Appeal

  • Appeals and Reviews
We service clients throughout South Africa. These include: Cape Town Rustenburg Kimberley East London Nelspruit Polokwane Pietermaritzburg Bloemfontein Port Elizabeth Pretoria Durban Johannesburg
Posted on by Telelaw

I require a law firm to assist me in my legal matter in the Magistrate’s Court.

What are your contact details?

If you require an Advocate Law Firm to assist you in your legal matter, feel free to contact us using the following details:

The services you may instruct the firm of Advocate Muhammad Abduroaf to represent you in are as follows:

High Court matters

  • Civil claim surrounding money;
  • Interdicts;
  • Divorces (Opposed and unopposed);
  • Child Custody and guardianship disputes;
  • Relocation of minor children;
  • Various criminal matters;
  • Minor children surname changes;
  • Appeals and Reviews; and
  • Other matters.

Magistrates Court matters

  • Civil claim surrounding money;
  • Various criminal matters;
  • Interdicts;
  • Maintenance Court matters;
  • Divorces Court matters (Opposed and unopposed)’
  • Children’s Court matter; and
  • Other matters.

Constitutional Court

  • Appeals

Supreme Court of Appeal

  • Appeals and Reviews

We service clients throughout South Africa. These include:

Cape Town

Rustenburg

Kimberley

East London

Nelspruit

Polokwane

Pietermaritzburg

Bloemfontein

Port Elizabeth

Pretoria

Durban

Johannesburg

Related Post

COMBINED SUMMONS

IN   THE   HIGH   COURT OF SOUTH   AFRICA (WESTERN CAPE DIVISION, CAPE TOWN) CASE NO:                         /20__ In the matter between: JOHN LAWYER                                                                                                            (Plaintiff) and JANE LAWYER                                                                                                          (Defendant) __________________________________ TO THE SHERIFF/DEPUTY: INFORM JANE LAWYER, an adult female employed as a lawyer (hereinafter referred to as the Defendant) whose home and work address is 1 Lawyer Road, Cape Town, Western Cape THAT JOHN LAWYER, an adult male, employed as a lawyer (hereinafter referred to as the Plaintiff) whose home and work address is 2 Lawyer Road, Cape Town, Western Cape, hereby institutes action against him/her in which action the Plaintiff claims the relief on the grounds set out in the Particulars of Claim annexed hereto; INFORM the Defendant further that if he/she disputes the claim and wishes to defend the action he/she shall:-
  • within 10 (TEN) days of the service upon him/her of this summons file with the Registrar of this Court a notice of his/her intention to defend and serve a copy thereof on the Plaintiff’s Attorneys, which notice shall give an address referred to in rule 19(3) for the service upon the Defendant of all notices and pleadings in the action;
  • thereafter and within 20 (TWENTY) Court days after filing and serving the notice of intention to defend as aforesaid, file with the Registrar and serve upon the Plaintiff’s Attorneys a plea or exception with or without a claim in reconvention;
INFORM the Defendant further that if he/she fails to file and serve notice as aforesaid judgment as claimed may be given against him/her without further notice to him/her or if, having filed and served such notice, he/she fails to plead, except, or to counterclaim, judgment may be given against him/her; INFORM the Defendant also that if he/she does not intend to defend the action, he/she may give written notice to that effect to the Plaintiff’s Attorneys and the Registrar and the action may then, at the written request of the Plaintiff’s Attorneys, be forthwith set down by the Registrar for hearing;   And immediately thereafter serve on the Defendant a copy of this Summons and return the same to the Registrar with whatever you have done thereupon. DATED AT CAPE TOWN THIS         DAY OF                 202__. ……………………………………………………………… REGISTRAR OF THE HIGH COURT                                                                                  JOHN LAWYER   _____________________ Per.: John Lawyer (Plaintiff in person) 2 Lawyer Road Cape Town, 8001 Email: [email protected] Tel: 021 000000     To:           THE HONOURABLE REGISTRAR OF THE WESTERN CAPE HIGH COURT HIGH COURT CAPE TOWN   And to:    JANE LAWYER (Defendant) 2 Lawyer Road CAPE TOWN   ____________________O0O___________________              

PLAINTIFF’S PARTICULARS OF CLAIM

  1. The Plaintiff and the Defendant are as described on the face of the Summons.
  2. The Defendant and the Plaintiff are domiciled within the area of jurisdiction of this Honourable Court.
  3. On 01 January 20___, at Cape Town, Western Cape, the Parties were married to each other In Community of Property and Profit or loss. The marriage still so subsists.
  4. Kindly find attached a copy of their marriage certificate marked “A”.
  5. There are no minor children born from the marriage.
  6. Plaintiff avers that by virtue of the following facts and circumstances the marriage relationship between the Parties has broken down irretrievably and that there is no reasonable prospect for the restoration thereof in that:
    • There is no love and affection; and
    • The Plaintiff no longer wish to be married to the Defendant.
  WHEREFORE PLAINTIFF PRAYS FOR:
  1. A Decree of Divorce;
  2. Equal Division of the Joint Estate;
  3. Costs, only in the event this action is defended; and
  4. Further and / or alternative relief.
DATE AT CAPE TOWN ON THIS ____ DAY OF _________ 2021. I AM MY OWN LAYWYER   _____________________ Per.: John Lawyer (Plaintiff in person) 2 Lawyer Road Cape Town, 8001 Email: [email protected] Tel: 021 000000   To:           THE HONOURABLE REGISTRAR OF THE WESTERN CAPE HIGH COURT HIGH COURT CAPE TOWN   And to:    JANE LAWYER (Defendant) 2 Lawyer Road CAPE TOWN _____________________O0O___________________ Best Divorce Lawyer Cape Town Western Cape - Summons and Particulars of Claim Best Divorce Lawyer Cape Town Western Cape - Summons and Particulars of Claim Best Divorce Lawyer Cape Town Western Cape - Summons and Particulars of Claim Best Divorce Lawyer Cape Town Western Cape - Summons and Particulars of Claim Best Divorce Lawyer Cape Town Western Cape - Summons and Particulars of Claim

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Father being refused contact to his child! What are his rights as a Father?

The concept of Family

Fam-i-ly. A three-syllable word, that means so much.  The concept of family is a very broad one and one that takes more than one form. There is the traditional form, and a more modern one. When you say “she is family”, you may be referring to your father’s cousin, a grandparent, or a niece. However, people most often referred to are those closest to you, referring to blood relations, for example, a parent or child. The most basic social unit of what a family comprises of – two parents and in most cases a child.
We are conveniently located in the Pinnacle Building, in the Cape Town CBD. Click here to call us on (021) 4243487 or send us an email.
However, the law now sees people as family who are not necessary married to each other in law, but who may be cohabiting as life partners, bringing a more modern concept to it. As the law recognises family relations, it therefore imposes certain rights, obligations, and certain restraints when it comes to family. For example, spouses have a legal obligation to maintain each other, and you may not marry your sibling. Another example is that of inheritance, even if you never knew you had a child, at your death, he or she would inherit from you if you die intestate, all just because, you are Fam-i-ly.

What is a father?

This article deals with the legal relationship between a biological father and a child. Not all men are blessed with being referred to as a father. In order to be a father, you have to be a male parent to a child. The child must have been born from you. And therefore, every child can only have one father. However, from the moment you became a father, the law imposed certain rights and responsibilities. These responsibilities will remain until you or your child’s demise. The scope of this article is not to stipulate what a good or bad father is. It is to outline what the responsibilities and rights of a father are towards his child.

What are the father’s rights towards his child?

This article is inspired by the fact that many fathers who are not in a marital, or romantic relationship with the mother of his child, are refused the rights to exercise his parental rights and responsibilities towards his child. In South Africa, we have the Children’s Act 38 (Act 38 of 2005), which came into effect on 1 April 2010. Here section 10 of the Act is of use. It defines parental responsibilities and rights, which includes the right to care for the child, to maintain contact with the child, to act as guardian of the child; and to contribute to the maintenance of the child. Fathers of children born out of wedlock does not automatically have rights towards their child. In order for you to form part of such a child’s life you need to fulfil the requirements of section 21 of the Act, which basically states:
  • at the time of the child’s birth, you are living with the mother in a permanent life-partnership; and
  • you contribute or have attempted in good faith to contribute to the child’s upbringing for a reasonable period;
  • you contribute or have attempted in good faith to contribute towards expenses in connection with the maintenance of the child for a reasonable period.
Many fathers would have been married to the mother. Others would have meaningfully partook in the child’s life from birth. Therefore, there should generally be no difference between a child born from a marriage and a child born outside of a marriage.  To take the statement further, it is possible for a father of a child born out of wedlock to be the primary care giver of the child, where the mother is only entitled to see the child at certain times and circumstances, or not at all.

What is meant by the terms care and contact?

The question is now posed, what is meant by this right of care and contact a father has towards his child? The Act provides a very holistic understanding of the concept of care. This includes providing the child with proper accommodation, guidance, protection and so on. Basically, to do, and provide the child with whatever is in his or her best interests. Contact, on the other hand entails maintaining a personal relationship with the child, visiting or being visited by him or her, and communication with the child in various forms.

Can the mother of your child deny you contact and care rights?

Now we deal with the issue of whether or not the mother of your child can arbitrary deny you from exercising your parental responsibilities and rights of care and contact. Should a mother feel that the father of her child should have limited rights and care to his child; in order for her to limit his rights, the mother should have a very good reason for doing so. Her reason should be motivated by what is in the child’s best interest and nothing else. However, what is in the child’s best interest is an objective assessment and not a maternal one. All factors are to be considered. Therefore, by way of example, should the mother’s reason be that the father has a new girlfriend, or that she does not like his parents – that would not on the face of it be a good reason. Therefore, should the father unreasonably be refused care and contact, he can invoke the law. Should he decide to litigate, the court would assess the matter and make a ruling as to what is in the minor child’s best interest. The court may agree with the mother, or the father, or with none of them.

Final words to fathers

As a father of a child, you are legally afforded with certain parental responsibilities in relation to your child. In South African law, there is no distinction between the rights of a mother and that of a father in relation to a child if the father has full parental rights and responsibilities. However, what the law looks at is what would practically make sense when exercising those rights and responsibilities. In other words, we cannot cut the child in half. The yardstick is, what is in the child’s best interests. All families are different, with many variables at play. Therefore, if it would be in the minor child’s best interests to reside with their mother, that should happen. Even if the father only sees the child on Christmas eve, then that should be the case. However, in the same breath if it would be in the minor child’s best interest for the minor child to reside with the father and the mother to have contact once a month, then that should be enforced. Therefore, if you as a father are unreasonably being obstructed from exercising your rights of care and contact, get legal advice, and enforce your rights.

Sharing is Caring

This and other articles and posts found on this website are written by Adv. Muhammad Abduroaf to assist people with various family law related issues they may have. If you find any of our articles, free resources and posts interesting, or possibly useful to others, please like and share it on Social Media by clicking on the icons below. For more interesting articles and information on Family Law, view our articles and Q&A page. If you have a family law related legal issue and you want someone to answer or reply to it, feel free to post it on our Family Law Blog. Therefore, kindly like and share. Should you require any other legal services and advice, not related to family law, visit Private Legal.
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