Looking for Family Legal Services in Belhar – Child Maintenance, Child Custody, Visitation Rights and Divorce

Here at our law officers, we understand the struggle of your anxious search for family legal services. Most often, you under the impression that you may not find the legal services you require within close proximity. Look no further.

Family Legal Advice Consultancy

We are a family legal consultancy that strive to cater for all your legal needs by offering legal advice and guidance in family law. If you happen to be residing in the Belhar area, then legal advice is still in your favor. Searching for a legal solution is tough enough and we are fully aware of this. With this in mind, we have made our legal advice and legal guidance easily accessible for your convenience. Our online system enables you to make an online appointment for a professional legal consultation within minutes, while in the comfort of your own home.

Price listings for Family Legal Services in Belhar

We have managed to compile a straightforward price list of some of our legal services in which we offer legal advice and legal guidance in. With that being said, we often have potential clients asking us for an overall view of what the service will cost. When it comes to child maintenance, child custody, contested/opposed divorces and so on; then an overview of the cost cannot be provided as this will be depend upon nature and circumstance of the legal matter. See our legal services page for an idea of what some of our legal services will cost.

Legal Advice in Belhar – Family law legal topics

For family law legal topics, we offer legal advice on a variety of family law topics, which include, but is not limited to: And while our consultation does come at a fee of R800; we have made our free, expert legal advice articles on our website, easily accessible for the layperson. See the following free, expert legal advice articles which was carefully crafted by the legal expert himself. These articles can be found within the following categories:

Child Maintenance

  1. How to Apply for Child Maintenance at Court – Step by Step Guide and Advice
  2. Child Maintenance Question. How much should I pay or contribute as a p
  3. Child Support or maintenance claims. Does an unemployed father pay?
  4. Non-compliance with Maintenance Orders — Civil and Criminal Remedies
  5. Tricks and tips on how to win your child maintenance case

Child Custody

  1. The Law Regarding Children – The Children’s Act 38 of 2005
  2. Child born out of wedlock: Mother will not consent to her surname change and to be registered as her biological father. What can I do?
  3. How do I get full custody over my child?
  4. Parental Child Abuse in Custody Cases
  5. Relocate with minor child. Parent Refusing Consent for a Passport
  6. Father being refused contact to his child! What are his rights as a Father?
  7. Father’s Parental Responsibilities and Rights to his Child
  8. Urgent Access to your Children without a Lawyer
  9. Parenting Plans and the Law
  10. What happens in a custody dispute where one parent is mentally ill?
  11. How to win your child custody and access court case – Tips and Tricks
  12. Rights of care, contact and guardianship of grandparents to their grandchildren – What does the law say?

Divorce and Property

  1. How to Change your Matrimonial Property Regime
  2. Do your own Unopposed Divorce. No lawyers needed and its Free.
  3. Parental Rights of Divorced Muslim parents after a Talaq or Faskh
  4. Free Online Divorce Assistance Form – DIY Cape Town South Africa comprising of:
So whether you’re residing in the Northern or Southern suburbs, we can assist you in your legal plight. Call our law offices on 021 424 3487, and have our friendly receptionist make an online appointment for you for a face to face, telephonic or Video Chat/Skype legal consultation.

Legal consultation – telephonic, face to face or via video chat / Skype legal advice for those residing in Belhar

Are you residing in Belhar and concerned that legal advice and legal guidance may be out of your way? This could never be more far off from the truth. Our professional legal consultancy have taken such circumstances into account and have managed to accommodate for those residing in the Belhar area. Our professional legal consultation can take place by virtue of video chat / Skype, email or telephonic for your convenience. We are currently based at Suit 702, 7th Floor, The Pinnacle (on the corner of Burg and Strand Street). Do you require an Attorney to handle your legal matter? No problem. Our law offices have built a wealth of legal connections to ease your plight. After assessing your legal matter during the consultation, we can refer you to an Attorney if necessary. However, we have managed to sustain a convenient online operation which will unfold within the following ways:
  1. Call our friendly receptionist and ask to have an appointment made for you online which will only take a minute or two.
  2. You have the choice of deciding whether you would like a telephonic, email, video chat/Skype legal consultation.
  3. Once you call our law offices on 021 424 3487, the receptionist will make an appointment online for you. Thereafter, you will receive an automated email which will contain all relevant details about the legal consultation. The date, time, nature of legal matter and payments methods will be highlighted within the email.
  4. We urge potential clients to read their email well as well as the terms and conditions within the email.
  5. Only once payment has been made, will the face to face legal consultation be confirmed.
  6. Bear in mind that the date and time of the legal consultation is subject to change on either our part or the potential client’s part. Hence the potential client is free to change the date and time should they later find a more convenient date or time.
Call our law offices on 021 424 3487, and have our friendly receptionist make an online appointment for you for a face to face, telephonic or Video Chat/Skype legal consultation.

Free legal products if you live in Belhar

Our law offices does not offer pro bono legal services as we are a Family Legal Consultancy that aims at offering expert, efficient legal advice and assistance on child maintenance, divorce, child custody and so forth. We have however, as mentioned previously, made our free, expert legal advice accessible to the layperson on our website. The creators of this website have compiled a “Free Family Law Resources” section, which can be found on our home page. The family law resources are as follows:
  1. Free Basic Will Tool Kit
  2. Free Shariah Will Template
  3. Free Divorce Starter Tool Kit
  4. Free Child Maintenance Calculator
  5. Free DIY Urgent Child Contact Toolkit
  6. Urgent Holiday Contact Toolkit
You can now enjoy free, expert legal advice at the touch of a button. Call our law offices on 021 424 3487, and have our friendly receptionist make an online appointment for you for a face to face, telephonic or Video Chat/Skype legal consultation. Connect with us today!    

Looking for Family Legal Services in Belhar – Child Maintenance, Child Custody, Visitation Rights and Divorce

Here at our law officers, we understand the struggle of your anxious search for family legal services. Most often, you under the impression that you may not find the legal services you require within close proximity. Look no further.

Family Legal Advice Consultancy

We are a family legal consultancy that strive to cater for all your legal needs by offering legal advice and guidance in family law. If you happen to be residing in the Belhar area, then legal advice is still in your favor. Searching for a legal solution is tough enough and we are fully aware of this. With this in mind, we have made our legal advice and legal guidance easily accessible for your convenience. Our online system enables you to make an online appointment for a professional legal consultation within minutes, while in the comfort of your own home.

Price listings for Family Legal Services in Belhar

We have managed to compile a straightforward price list of some of our legal services in which we offer legal advice and legal guidance in. With that being said, we often have potential clients asking us for an overall view of what the service will cost. When it comes to child maintenance, child custody, contested/opposed divorces and so on; then an overview of the cost cannot be provided as this will be depend upon nature and circumstance of the legal matter. See our legal services page for an idea of what some of our legal services will cost.

Legal Advice in Belhar – Family law legal topics

For family law legal topics, we offer legal advice on a variety of family law topics, which include, but is not limited to:

And while our consultation does come at a fee of R800; we have made our free, expert legal advice articles on our website, easily accessible for the layperson. See the following free, expert legal advice articles which was carefully crafted by the legal expert himself.

These articles can be found within the following categories:

Child Maintenance

  1. How to Apply for Child Maintenance at Court – Step by Step Guide and Advice
  2. Child Maintenance Question. How much should I pay or contribute as a p
  3. Child Support or maintenance claims. Does an unemployed father pay?
  4. Non-compliance with Maintenance Orders — Civil and Criminal Remedies
  5. Tricks and tips on how to win your child maintenance case

Child Custody

  1. The Law Regarding Children – The Children’s Act 38 of 2005
  2. Child born out of wedlock: Mother will not consent to her surname change and to be registered as her biological father. What can I do?
  3. How do I get full custody over my child?
  4. Parental Child Abuse in Custody Cases
  5. Relocate with minor child. Parent Refusing Consent for a Passport
  6. Father being refused contact to his child! What are his rights as a Father?
  7. Father’s Parental Responsibilities and Rights to his Child
  8. Urgent Access to your Children without a Lawyer
  9. Parenting Plans and the Law
  10. What happens in a custody dispute where one parent is mentally ill?
  11. How to win your child custody and access court case – Tips and Tricks
  12. Rights of care, contact and guardianship of grandparents to their grandchildren – What does the law say?

Divorce and Property

  1. How to Change your Matrimonial Property Regime
  2. Do your own Unopposed Divorce. No lawyers needed and its Free.
  3. Parental Rights of Divorced Muslim parents after a Talaq or Faskh
  4. Free Online Divorce Assistance Form – DIY Cape Town South Africa comprising of:

So whether you’re residing in the Northern or Southern suburbs, we can assist you in your legal plight. Call our law offices on 021 424 3487, and have our friendly receptionist make an online appointment for you for a face to face, telephonic or Video Chat/Skype legal consultation.

Legal consultation – telephonic, face to face or via video chat / Skype legal advice for those residing in Belhar

Are you residing in Belhar and concerned that legal advice and legal guidance may be out of your way? This could never be more far off from the truth. Our professional legal consultancy have taken such circumstances into account and have managed to accommodate for those residing in the Belhar area. Our professional legal consultation can take place by virtue of video chat / Skype, email or telephonic for your convenience. We are currently based at Suit 702, 7th Floor, The Pinnacle (on the corner of Burg and Strand Street).

Do you require an Attorney to handle your legal matter? No problem. Our law offices have built a wealth of legal connections to ease your plight. After assessing your legal matter during the consultation, we can refer you to an Attorney if necessary.

However, we have managed to sustain a convenient online operation which will unfold within the following ways:

  1. Call our friendly receptionist and ask to have an appointment made for you online which will only take a minute or two.
  2. You have the choice of deciding whether you would like a telephonic, email, video chat/Skype legal consultation.
  3. Once you call our law offices on 021 424 3487, the receptionist will make an appointment online for you. Thereafter, you will receive an automated email which will contain all relevant details about the legal consultation. The date, time, nature of legal matter and payments methods will be highlighted within the email.
  4. We urge potential clients to read their email well as well as the terms and conditions within the email.
  5. Only once payment has been made, will the face to face legal consultation be confirmed.
  6. Bear in mind that the date and time of the legal consultation is subject to change on either our part or the potential client’s part. Hence the potential client is free to change the date and time should they later find a more convenient date or time.

Call our law offices on 021 424 3487, and have our friendly receptionist make an online appointment for you for a face to face, telephonic or Video Chat/Skype legal consultation.

Free legal products if you live in Belhar

Our law offices does not offer pro bono legal services as we are a Family Legal Consultancy that aims at offering expert, efficient legal advice and assistance on child maintenance, divorce, child custody and so forth. We have however, as mentioned previously, made our free, expert legal advice accessible to the layperson on our website.

The creators of this website have compiled a “Free Family Law Resources” section, which can be found on our home page. The family law resources are as follows:

  1. Free Basic Will Tool Kit
  2. Free Shariah Will Template
  3. Free Divorce Starter Tool Kit
  4. Free Child Maintenance Calculator
  5. Free DIY Urgent Child Contact Toolkit
  6. Urgent Holiday Contact Toolkit

You can now enjoy free, expert legal advice at the touch of a button. Call our law offices on 021 424 3487, and have our friendly receptionist make an online appointment for you for a face to face, telephonic or Video Chat/Skype legal consultation.

Connect with us today!

 

 

Related Post

How do I find an affordable Lawyer in Cape Town?

Finding a good, affordable lawyer can sometimes be challenging. You do not want the cheapest lawyer, but an expensive lawyer won’t do. He or she may have little experience, and you may lose your case based on that. However, some cases are simple, and you do not need to do your best to assist you. However, finding the balance between affordability and expertise can be difficult. Here are some tips:
  1. Define Your Needs: Identify the specific legal services you require (e.g., family law, criminal defence, corporate law).
  2. Research Online: Use legal directories;
  3. Check Reviews and Ratings: Look for client reviews and ratings to gauge the firm’s reputation and client satisfaction.
  4. Ask for Recommendations: Reach out to friends, family, or colleagues who may have had similar legal needs for personal recommendations.
  5. Evaluate Experience: Consider the firm’s experience in your specific legal issue, including years in practice and case outcomes.
  6. Schedule Consultations: Many firms offer free or less expensive consultations. Use this opportunity to meet attorneys, discuss your case, and assess their communication style.
  7. Assess Costs: Inquire about fees and billing practices. Understand whether they charge hourly rates, flat fees, or contingency fees.
  8. Trust Your Instincts: Choose a firm that you feel comfortable with and confident in their ability to handle your case.
  9. Verify Credentials: Check the attorneys’ qualifications and any disciplinary history.
  10. Consider Location: Proximity can be important for ease of communication and meetings.
Taking the time to research and evaluate different firms will help you find the right fit for your legal needs.  

Appealing a Maintenance Court Decision or Judgment

In its very nature, maintenance matters are complicated and never straight forward. For starters, it deals with the income and expenditure of both parents and the needs of the child. It is not easy for a maintenance court to determine with a high degree of certainty what the true income of a self-employed parent is. The same applies to the true expenses of a parent.
advice-child-maintenance-child-custody-divorce

Manipulating the maintenance system

It is very easy for a parent to manipulate documentation or only present information which he or she believes would be in their favor. For example, if a parent earns extra income by selling clothing, he or she may decide not to disclose that information to the maintenance Court.  By doing so, the Maintenance Court will determine the maintenance of the child based on the incorrect facts presented. This could become more problematic when one parent knows of the other parent’s additional income but cannot prove it. If the parties have legal representatives, this issue of improper disclosure is limited to a certain extent. For example, lawyers would be in a good position to do their own investigations and verify certain relevant information.

Improper disclosure of expenses

Then there is the issue of the expenses of the child. The court requires a proper outline of all the monthly, daily and yearly expenditure of the child. Without all the relevant information before it, the court is not in a proper position to make a fair decision regarding child maintenance.  This is so as the amount of maintenance a parent should pay is directly determined by what is the child’s monthly expenditure. For example, if a parent earns a million rand a month, his or her maintenance contributions can be no more than what the child actually cost per month.

Intentionally inflating expenses

It often happens that a parent cannot, or do not provide a true reflection as to what the child actually cost. Amounts are inflated, and there is no way that the court or the other parent can really question those amounts. Let’s say the mother is taking the father to the Maintenance Court but the father only sees the child once a month.  The father, in this case, would not be able to confirm or verify whether or not the child actually eats as much as the mother makes it out to be. And many times, parents come to court with an attitude of “let me claim more and the court will give me less.”

Unhappy with the maintenance magistrate’s decision

advice-child-maintenance-child-custody-divorceLet’s say a maintenance enquiry was held by a maintenance magistrate, and a decision was handed down. Should both parents be happy with the decision of the magistrate, their lives can continue and the party who should pay maintenance should comply with the order. However, it often happens that one parent is not happy with the maintenance order. We often get queries where parents want to know what they can do when the maintenance Court did not find in their favor. Sometimes parents feel that the Maintenance Court was one-sided. In such a case he or she wants the decision of the magistrate to be relooked at. In order for this to happen, the Parent should appeal the decision of the magistrate.

Appealing a maintenance Court decision

The purpose of this article is not to explain the technical procedure of appealing a magistrate’s judgment.  The procedure is a bit complicated and we suggest you make use of a legal practitioner to assist you should you wish to appeal a decision.  However, what we want to bring home is that it is possible for the decision of a Maintenance Court to be relooked at by a higher Court and provide you with some insight as to what happens. The higher Court, in this case, will be the High Court.  If you reside in Cape Town, it is the Western Cape High Court.

What happens at the Appeal Court?

Let’s say all the court rules and procedures were complied with and the matter is now before the Appeal Court. The Appeal Court will comprise of two judges. They would have read through the entire court record in the Magistrate’s Court before the matter is heard. Taking it one step back, all proceedings in the magistrate’s court is digitally recorded. So, when you decide to appeal a decision of the magistrate’s court the recordings are sent to an authorised typist, who would type out the entire Court record. You cannot type out the record yourself.

advice-child-maintenance-child-custody-divorceHeads of Argument

Now before you argue your case at the Appeal Court you would want the judges to first know what your arguments are.  At the same time, you would like to know what the other lawyer’s arguments are. In this regard, you would file heads of argument a few weeks before the appeal hearing date. Basically, you will outline what points you will be focusing on, and what law you will be relying on.

You need to convince the Appeal Court there was an error

Your purpose at the appeal is to try to convince the judges that the magistrate erred in his or her decision. In other words, made a mistake.  In relation to a maintenance Court matter, you may even wish to convince the court that the maintenance officer did not follow the procedures outlined in the Maintenance Act or he or she did not properly investigate the maintenance complaint.  For example, the maintenance officer just took the father’s word when he said he was unemployed. Or the mother’s word when she said she earns no additional income.

Incorrect maintenance investigation

Had the maintenance officer done some further investigations by requesting relevant information, or instructing the maintenance investigator, the true facts would have been before the Maintenance Court. In other words, the magistrate would have made a different decision. Now, this would apply to a maintenance Court where the provisions in-place in the Maintenance Act was not followed. If this happened, you may appeal.

The magistrate’s reasons for his or her decision

The High Court judges would have the magistrate’s reasons for his decision before them. In other words, the magistrate would provide a document to the appeals court where he or she explains why he or she made a certain decision in the Maintenance Court matter.  He or she may, for example, say that based upon the evidence presented, the father earned an amount which does not justify him paying more than what he is currently paying.  Or the maintenance magistrate might say that based upon all the evidence presented, he could not find any information that will justify an amount greater than what the father is currently paying. The appeal Court would look at all these reasons and the evidence that was presented at court. It would listen to the arguments of the legal representatives and determine whether or not the magistrate made an error in judgment.

The appeals court’s decision

advice-child-maintenance-child-custody-divorceIf it is decided that the magistrate made an error in judgment, the court would in those circumstances change the order or refer the matter back to the maintenance court for a proper enquiry.  If the court decides that the magistrate was correct in its judgment, it will dismiss the appeal. So in short if you are dissatisfied with a maintenance magistrates court decision, you have full right to appeal it.      

Rule 43 Application – Maintenance Pendente Lite – High Court – Cape Town

Whilst you are in the process of divorcing your spouse, you may require the Western Cape High Court to assist you with regard to maintenance, or contact with your child. You may want the Court to Order t your spouse pays a portion of your legal fees, as well. This can all be done while the divorce is still pending. In the High Court, the court procedure to follow is outlined in its Uniform Rule 43.  That is where the term “Rule 43 Applications” come from.

Family Law Questions and Answers

Should you not find what you are looking for, feel free to post your questions on our blog, by clicking on the following links:

Divorces – Questions and Answers

Child Custody – Questions and Answers

Child Maintenance – Question and Answers

Domestic Violence – Questions and Answers

You are welcome to call us on 021 424 3487 / 0870735800

For other legal and business services, feel free to visit:

Business SA or Private Legal.

Below was provide you with the entire rule 43, as well with an example of the Notice when making use of the rule.

The entire rule 43 is as follows:

43 Matrimonial Matters (1) This rule shall apply whenever a spouse seeks relief from the court in respect of one or more of the following matters: (a) Maintenance pendente lite; (b) a contribution towards the cost s of a pending matrimonial action; (c) interim custody of any child; (d) interim access to any child. (2) The applicant shall deliver a sworn statement in the nature of a declaration, setting out the relief claimed and the grounds therefor, together with a notice to the respondent as near as may be in accordance with Form 17 of the First Schedule. The statement and notice shall be signed by the applicant or his attorney and shall give an address for service within eight kilometres of the office of the registrar, and shall be served by the sheriff. (3) The respondent shall within ten days after receiving the statement deliver a sworn reply in the nature of a plea, signed and giving an address as aforesaid, in default of which he shall be ipso facto barred. (4) As soon as possible thereafter the registrar shall bring the matter before the court for summary hearing, on ten days’ notice to the parties, unless the respondent is in default. (5) The court may hear such evidence as it considers necessary and may dismiss the application or make such order  as it thinks fit to ensure a just and expeditious decision. (6) The court may, on the same procedure, vary its decision in the event of a  material change taking place in the circumstances of either party or a child, or the  contribution towards costs proving inadequate.

How does it work

In short, you or your attorney would file an Affidavit with a Notice outlining in concise form, what you require. Then the other party would respond. The documents should be simple and straight to the point. The idea is to provide enough information for the court to make a quick decision. Now let’s look at an example of a rule 43 Notice used in the High Court.

An Example of a Rule 43 Notice

Below is an example of a Rule 43 Notice dealing with contact rights.

IN   THE   HIGH   COURT OF SOUTH   AFRICA

(WESTERN CAPE DIVISION, CAPE TOWN) CASE NO: In the matter between:   JOHN SMITH                                Applicant     and     JANE SMITH                               Respondent    

NOTICE OF APPLICATION IN TERMS OF RULE 43

  TO THE ABOVE MENTIONED RESPONDENT MADAM   TAKE NOTICE that the abovementioned Applicant claims from the Respondent the following, pendente lite:
  1. The minor child shall reside primarily with the Applicant who shall be her primary caregiver; and
  2. The Respondent shall have reasonable contact with the minor child as follows:
    • Every alternative weekend, commencing from the Friday until the Sunday. The collecting and drop-off times shall be agreed to by the Parties in advance, which may vary from time to time;
    • Equal sharing of long and short school holidays, in that the minor child shall reside one half with the Applicant and the other with the Respondent which shall alternate each year;
    • The Applicant and/or the Respondent, as the case may be, shall further have contact with the minor child on the following days for 3 (three) hours notwithstanding in whose care the minor child is in on those days:
      • Christmas Day;
      • The minor child’s birthday;
      • Father’s day and Mother’s Day; and
      • The Parties’ birthday.
  1. The Parties shall have telephonic contact with the minor child on a regular basis whilst the minor child is in the other’s care;
  2. Notwithstanding the above, the Parties shall have reasonable contact with the minor child at all times, provided that any additional contact shall be arranged telephonically and shall only take place by prior arrangement and consensus between the Parties; and
  3. The Parties shall respect each other’s privacy and shall not enter each other’s homes at any time without prior invitation, whether for the purpose of fetching or returning the minor child or any other reason whatsoever.
  4. JOINT DECISION MAKING
    • The Parties shall make joint decisions about the following aspects of the minor child’s life:
      • Major decisions about the minor child’s schooling and tertiary education;
      • Major decisions about the minor child’s physical care, mental health care and medical care;
      • Major decisions about the minor child’s religious and spiritual upbringing;
      • Decisions about the minor child’s residence both within and outside the Cape Peninsula;
      • Decisions which are likely to significantly change the minor child’s living conditions or to have an adverse effect on her well-being; and
      • Decisions which affect the minor child’s everyday care and daily routine shall be made by the party in whose care the minor child is in at the relevant time.
  1. Costs of this Application if opposed; and
  2. Further and/or alternative relief.
  TAKE NOTICE FURTHER that if you intend to defend this claim you must, within in 10 (ten) days, file a reply with the Registrar of this Honourable Court, Keerom Street, Cape Town, giving an address for service as referred to in rule 6(5)(b), and serve a copy on the Applicant’s attorneys.   If you do not do these things, you will automatically be barred from defending and judgment may be given against you as claimed. Your reply must indicate what allegations in the Applicant’s statement you admit or deny and must concisely set out your defence.   TAKE NOTICE FURTHER that the affidavit of JOHN SMITH (the Applicant) annexed hereto with confirmatory affidavits shall be used in support of this application.   DATED AT SIGNED AT CAPE TOWN THIS___DAY OF __________________2018.         ——————————————                                   ABC  Attorneys     _____________________ Per.:   TO:        THE REGISTRAR HIGH COURT CAPE TOWN     AND TO:  JANE SMITH (RESPONDENT) Working at: XX WESTERN CAPE c/o   AND TO: THE OFFICE OF THE FAMILY ADVOCATE  CAPE TOWN ______________________o0o____________________  

Do you need a lawyer or attorney?

It is always advisable to make use of a lawyer or an attorney when litigating in the High Court, or any court for that matter. However, sometimes the issue of costs comes into play. If however, you cannot afford the services of an attorney, we advise that you still proceed with the application.  

Do you require a video legal advice consultation?

Click here and schedule one today!