Best Divorce Lawyer Blouberg Advocate Muhammad Abduroaf Parow

Posted on by Telelaw

Best Divorce Lawyer Blouberg Advocate Muhammad Abduroaf Parow

Related Post

Dear Advocate Abduroaf. My child custody case is very complicated. How do I find the best child custody lawyer, attorney or advocate for my case in Cape Town?

A great child custody lawyer (attorney or advocate) is a legal practitioner who specializes in family law and has expertise in handling cases related to child custody and visitation rights. Family law matters can be very emotionally challenging for both parents. The same applies to the child concerned. Whether you live in Cape Town or in Plettenberg Bay, the law applicable would be the same throughout South Africa.

Here are some qualities and characteristics that can define a great child custody lawyer, or the best one for your case:

Experience and Expertise:

  • Specialization in family law, particularly child custody cases.
  • Proven track record of successfully handling similar cases.

Knowledge of Family Law:

  • In-depth understanding of family law.
  • Awareness of recent legal developments and changes in family law.

Communication Skills:

  • Effective communication skills to clearly articulate your case in court.
  • Ability to negotiate and mediate to reach favourable settlements.

Compassion and Empathy:

  • Understanding and empathy towards the emotional challenges involved in child custody disputes.
  • Ability to provide emotional support to clients during a difficult time.

Strategic Thinking:

  • Ability to devise a strategic legal approach tailored to the unique aspects of your case.
  • Forethought and anticipation of potential challenges.

Availability and Responsiveness:

  • Prompt responses to client inquiries and concerns.
  • Availability for meetings, court appearances, and consultations.

Client Reviews and References:

  • Positive reviews from previous clients.
  • Recommendations from colleagues or other legal professionals.

Ethical Conduct:

  • Adherence to professional and ethical standards.
  • Transparent and fair billing practices.

Courtroom Experience:

  • Comfort and confidence in a courtroom setting.
  • Skillful presentation of arguments and evidence.

Resourcefulness:

  • Resourcefulness in finding legal precedents and utilizing available resources to strengthen the case.

Problem-Solving Skills:

  • Creative problem-solving skills to navigate complex family dynamics and legal issues.

Custody and Visitation Knowledge:

  • In-depth knowledge of various custody arrangements and visitation schedules.
  • Ability to advocate for the best interests of the child.

What should you consider when meeting with a family law attorney or advocate?

When looking for a great child custody lawyer, it’s essential to schedule consultations, discuss your case, and assess whether the lawyer, attorney, or advocate possesses the qualities and skills that align with your needs and goals. Additionally, consider seeking recommendations from trusted friends, family members, or other legal professionals. Finding the best child custody lawyer involves thorough research, careful consideration of your specific needs, and evaluation of the lawyer’s qualifications. Here are some steps you can take to find the right child custody lawyer for your situation:

Define Your Goals and Needs:

  • Clearly identify your goals and priorities in the child custody case.
  • Determine the specific services you need from a lawyer, such as legal representation, mediation, or collaborative law.

Research Local Family Law Attorneys:

  • Use online legal directories and referral services to identify family law attorneys or Trust Account Advocate in your area.
  • Seek recommendations from friends, family, or colleagues who have gone through similar situations.

Check Credentials and Specialization:

  • Look for lawyers who specialize in family law and, more specifically, child custody cases.
  • Check their credentials, education, and any certifications related to family law.

Read Reviews and Testimonials:

  • Read online reviews on legal review websites, social media, or the lawyer’s own website.
  • Consider testimonials from previous clients to gauge the lawyer’s reputation and success rate.

Consult with Multiple Lawyers:

  • Schedule consultations with several child custody lawyers to discuss your case.
  • Prepare a list of questions to ask during the consultation, covering topics such as experience, approach to cases, and expected outcomes.

Evaluate Communication Skills:

  • Assess the lawyer’s communication style and whether you feel comfortable discussing your case with them.
  • Ensure that the lawyer listens actively and provides clear explanations of legal processes.

Consider Experience:

  • Inquire about the lawyer’s experience in handling child custody cases similar to yours.
  • Ask about their success rate and outcomes in past cases.

Review Legal Fees:

  • Discuss the lawyer’s fee structure during the consultation.
  • Clarify billing practices, retainer fees, and any additional costs associated with your case.

Check Disciplinary Records:

  • Verify the lawyer’s standing with the Legal Practice Council of South Africa.
  • Check for any disciplinary actions or complaints against the lawyer.

Seek Second Opinions:

  • If you have initial concerns or uncertainties, consider seeking a second opinion from another attorney or advocate.
  • Compare advice and recommendations from multiple sources.

Trust Your Instincts:

  • Pay attention to your instincts and gut feelings about the lawyer.
  • Choose a lawyer you feel comfortable working with and who understands your unique situation.

Negotiation and Mediation Skills:

Assess the lawyer’s ability to negotiate and mediate, especially if you prefer an amicable resolution.
  • Remember that finding the best child custody lawyer is a personalized process, and the right fit for one person may not be the best for another. Take the time to thoroughly research and evaluate potential lawyers to make an informed decision based on your specific needs and circumstances.
We service clients in all cities: Cape Town Rustenburg Kimberley East London Nelspruit Polokwane Pietermaritzburg Bloemfontein Port Elizabeth Pretoria Durban Johannesburg

Posted on by Telelaw

Child Maintenance Saga: How a mother forced the father of her child to pay child maintenance after battling for 5 years

advice-child-maintenance-child-custody-divorceMaintenance Saga: When Jill was 17 years old, she met Jack. He was much older than her, working, and very charming. Jill was in her final year of high school and in love with Jack. One thing led to another, and Jill fell pregnant with his child. When she told Jack the good news, he asked her to have an abortion. She refused. Jack was then out of the picture and nowhere to be found. She did not know where he stayed, nor did she have his work details. All she had was his mobile number. This number was useless as he blocked her. The furthest thing from her mind at the time was the issue of child maintenance.

Parents finding out

Needless to say, things did not go well for Jill. Other than having to keep the fact of her pregnancy from her parents, she also had to deal with morning sickness and weight gain. After the first trimester, her parents knew something was wrong and confronted her. She told them she was pregnant. Things then just got worse. Jill’s parents took her out of school, and she was kept out of the public eye. To them, she disgraced them. What made it even worse was that Jill could not provide much information about the father of her child. Her parents, already struggling to make ends meet, had an additional burden to pay for Jill’s gynaecological visits and medication. The child was born, and Jack was still nowhere to be found. Jill named her baby James.

Realities of life

Life moved on for Jill and her child. Jill’s mother gave up her job to care for the child and Jill had to go to work. With no matric or any special skills, Jill had to get a job in retail, working the late shifts. What she earned was not enough for her and the child’s expenses. Her parents were complaining and putting pressure on her to find the father of the child to help support him. This was not the life her parents, nor she, envisaged for her.  

The Shock – He was married

Jill called around, spoke to some people and found out where the father lived. It turned out, that Jack was married, since before he met Jill and has three children with his wife. When she met with Jack, he wanted nothing to do with her and said that it is not his child. He also told her that should she take him to the maintenance court, he will deny paternity. This left her despondent and she did not know what to do. He did not even want to meet the child. Jill could not leave it at that. She had to find a way to get Jack to support his child. It is unfair that he supports his other 3 children and gives nothing towards James. She finally found out what Jack did for a living. He was a self-employed graphic designer, working from home. Nonetheless, she wanted him to pay. She, however, did not know what to do.

The Maintenance Court

Two years passed and things were not getting better financially. Jill’s mother was getting old, and her father was soon to retire. With inflation, she earned about the same as she did when she first started working. Jill then spoke to some people who advised her to approach the maintenance court for assistance and advise. She then went to the Maintenance Court. She completed the Application Form and provided all relevant information. This included the home address of Jack. She then waited. Three months later, she received a letter in the post advising her of the date she needs to appear in court for the maintenance enquiry. The Court date was a month later. She then appeared at Court, and Jack was not there. The maintenance officer had no proof that Jack knew about the court date, so she had to issue a subpoena. Jill was told to leave and that she would be notified of the next date in due course. James just turned 3.

The Blood tests

advice-child-maintenance-child-custody-divorceFour months later, Jill, this time received a subpoena to appear in the same maintenance court. This time, she had to appear two weeks later as they took some time to get the subpoena to her. When she entered the court, she saw Jack walking with a lady wearing a suit and holding a briefcase. He did not even greet her. Jill waited outside the maintenance officer’s office and when her name was called, she entered the office where she saw Jack and his lawyer sitting. She was the same lady she saw him walking with earlier. Before Jill could say anything, the maintenance officer told Jill that Jack is disputing paternity and that she would have to go for a blood test with the child. Obviously, if Jack is not the father of James, then Jill has no right to make the application. Everything had to be kept on hold until the results were confirmed.

The paternity outcome

The first time Jack met his son James was when the blood samples were taken. Jack still wanted nothing to do with him. When they appeared back at the maintenance court 3 months later, the results were announced. Jack was 99.99999 percent the father of James. Neither Jack nor Jill was surprised with the results. But Jack’s lawyer was. She then withdrew as his lawyer. She could not represent a client who was dishonest to her. The matter, therefore, had to be postponed for legal representation. The Maintenance Court Delays Three months later, Jack and Jill again appeared before the maintenance officer. This time, Jack came with his wife. She, however, had to sit outside the office when the maintenance enquiry took place. Jack said he could not afford a lawyer and neither could Jill. When asked to produce his income and expenses, he said he did not have any. He also said that all monies he gets paid go into his banking account. But for the past 6 (six) months, he did not earn any money. The case was then postponed for Jack to bring copies of the last 6-months bank statements and for the maintenance investigator to look into the matter. The matter was then postponed for another 3 months. James was turning 4.

The paternal grandparents

When the parties appeared before the maintenance officer, Jack provided his bank statements. It depicted that he did not earn anything for the past 3 months. The maintenance investigator also could not find anything of value to show that James had money. Jill knew that Jack was lying about his income, but because he got paid in cash, there was no proof of the fact. It was then decided that they will call in the paternal grandparents to contribute towards James’s maintenance. This made Jack very nervous as his parents did not know that he had a son. Nonetheless, they were subpoenaed to Court. The matter was then again postponed for 3 months.

The maintenance settlement

When the parents of James and his grandparents appeared at the Maintenance Court, they were distraught. Never would they have thought they would ever have to visit a Court. What made it worse was that they were there because their son did not want to pay child support for his child. Embarrassed with the situation, Jack agreed to pay child support to James, on condition that his parents are kept out of the settlement. Jill agreed, and a maintenance order was granted.

Moral of the story

Never give up on claiming child maintenance for your child. Even if it takes you almost 5 years. advice-child-maintenance-child-custody-divorce

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  share it on Social Media. Should you require any other legal services and advice, not related to family law, visit Private Legal. Purchase a Consultation with us from our Online Shop, by clicking here.  

View some of our other Child Maintenance Articles below

[pt_view id=”ff9fb06k6j”]      
Posted on by Telelaw

Do you require a video legal advice consultation?

Click here and schedule one today!