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Filter: Child
Can you claim maintenance for your adult children?

15 September 2022

It has been a well held view in our law that a parent cannot claim maintenance for an adult dependent... child from their divorced spouse. But is this still the case or has a recent Supreme Court of Appeal finding changed the position?

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375
Article
When do maintenance obligations prescribe?

20 May 2021

My ex-husband has for some time now not paid his maintenance as per the court order. Because I had a... job and was earning a basic income, I just left it as I didn’t want the hassle of trying to get him to pay. Now I’ve been retrenched and have asked him to pay his outstanding maintenance, but he refuses and says his attorney told him that his obligation to pay has prescribed. Surely this can’t be right?

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433
Article
Who can inherit from a child’s estate?

10 February 2021

I have a friend who has been looking after her grandson since birth when her daughter just walked out on... the child after he was born with deformities. My friend managed to obtain a settlement with the hospital for negligence during the birth and now takes care of the child using the money from the settlement. The child is very sick and may not have much time left with the biological mother suddenly making an appearance to try and claim the remainder of the settlement money. Surely my friend is entitled to the money having taken care of the child all her life? What is the position in law?

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508
Article
Is government liable for an accident at a private nursery school?

10 November 2020

I recently saw an article in the news saying that the Western Cape Department of Social Development was not responsible... for injuries caused to a child in a day care funded by the Department. Surely this cannot be right and the Department should be responsible? 

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392
Article
Spanking your child a confirmed no-no for parents

11 November 2019

I’ve recently read in the news that apparently spanking your child is no longer allowed for parents. I thought this... had been settled a while ago. Why is this news again?

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463
Article
What leave is a father entitled to at the birth of his child?

12 February 2019

My wife is due to give birth in two months. I've seen media reports that a father is now entitled... to longer paternity leave, but when I approached my employer to find out I was informed that I am only entitled to three days family responsibility leave. What is the current position?

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373
Article
Can private schools have a termination clause in their contracts with parents?

03 January 2019

Family friends of ours have a child who has been kicked out of the private school he was attending. As... I understand it, the school just terminated the contract with the parents based on the unruly behaviour of the child. They are very upset by the school’s action and I was wondering whether a private school is allowed to just do that?

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478
Article
When does my family trust terminate?

08 August 2018

I have established a family trust for estate planning purposes to make sure my children are looked after when I... pass away. I was wondering though if the trust can be terminated after my death, and if so, when? I wouldn’t like all my planning to be for nothing because the trust just ended.

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386
Article
Grandparents have rights too!

12 July 2018

I practically raised my grandchildren for the first few years of their lives and am very close to them. Unfortunately,... my son recently passed away and now their mother refuses that I see them. Is there anything I can do?

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393
Article