Given the complicated nature of divorce proceedings, and the length of time required to finalise a divorce, the existence of interim relief until the date of divorce is often required by a party to a divorce who have been maintenance dependent on the other party during the subsistence of the marriage.

Rule 58 of the Magistrates’ Court Rules and Rule 43 of the Uniform Rules of Court make provision for a spouse to claim interim maintenance during the litigation process, a contribution towards costs of the pending matrimonial litigation, interim care of a child and interim contact with a child.

Rule 43 is being used far more often than Rule 58, because in the High Court it can take up to three years to get a trial date for a defended divorce, whereas, in the Regional Court, a defended divorce can be finalised within a few months. Therefore, interim maintenance is more important in High Court proceedings, because a party will have no other choice but to maintain himself/herself for up to three years until the divorce is finalised. Especially in the case of housewives who raised the children and cared for the home but have not been working or have not been economically active for years, a three-year wait for a trial date can result in a dire financial situation, if no provision is made for their maintenance until the date of divorce.

The other side of the coin is that a husband with a Rule 43 order against him, can be forced to pay maintenance for quite a lengthy period, especially if his wife as the plaintiff is well taken care of in terms of the Rule 43 order, then she will probably not be in a hurry to take the matter to trial.

A party can be entitled to a contribution towards legal costs. If a husband can afford a lawyer and good legal representation, his wife can be put in a position to litigate on an equal basis, by a Rule 43 or Rule 58 order compelling a contribution towards the wife’s legal costs.

Since it is possible to get a trial date in the Regional Court quite speedily, magistrates are often not inclined to waste too much time on an interim maintenance application, because it will not have a long-term effect, and it is better to determine the issue of maintenance at trial.

Rule 43 and Rule 58 orders cannot be taken on review, and cannot be appealed against, thus a husband with a detrimental Rule 43 or Rule 58 order against him can only apply for a variation of the original order, based on a change in financial circumstances. However, if he can afford to comply with the order, he has no other choice but to comply, and a failure to comply can lead to a contempt of court application against the husband. Rule 43 or Rule 58 orders can sometimes lead to parties settling the whole divorce sooner, especially in the High Court where a party will be compelled to comply with the Rule 43 order for three years.

The following factors are taken into account in the determination of maintenance: existing or prospective means of each of the parties, their respective earning capacities, financial needs and obligations, the age of each of the parties, the duration of the marriage, the standard of living of the parties prior to the divorce, their conduct so far as it may be relevant to the breakdown of the marriage, and any other factor which in the opinion of the court should be taken into account.

In Taute v Taute 1974 (2) SA 675 (E), it was determined that interim maintenance will be determined according to the “marital standard of living of the parties, her actual and reasonable requirements and the capacity of her husband to meet such requirements.” It was further held that, “I have found nothing, however, in the decisions to which I have been referred which justify in such maintenance the inclusion of extraordinary or luxurious expenditure even in the case where the husband is ‘very wealthy’ or ‘very rich’.” This decision makes it clear that a wife will not be entitled to anything that she was not entitled to during the subsistence of the marriage, and that a court will not make a finding for luxurious expenditure.

Kroon v Kroon 1986 (4) SA 616 (E) held that, “The position in our law is that no maintenance will be awarded to a woman who can support herself.” It was further held that, “What does the plaintiff want and what does she need? Wants and needs are two different things. People usually want more than they need.” This decision makes it clear that a woman who has no need for maintenance, because she earns an income and can support herself, will not be entitled to maintenance.

If parties were married for a long period of time, a party would be more likely to get interim maintenance, and permanent maintenance at trial. Furthermore, the age of the parties would play a significant role in determining interim maintenance and permanent maintenance, because, for example, for a 60-plus woman with no formal education, and who have no formal work experience, it will be difficult to obtain employment.

In Nilsson v Nilsson 1984 (2) SA 294 (C), it was determined that, “The shorter the duration of the marriage, the more important the conduct of the parties within the relationship – their respective ‘guilt’ or ‘innocence’ – would ordinarily be in relation to the question whether maintenance should be paid at all.” If a woman is responsible for the breakdown of the marriage, her conduct would weigh against her getting interim maintenance, especially in the case of a short marriage.

Interim maintenance remains a thorny issue, and in an ideal world, such orders would not have been necessary at all, which is more or less the case in a Regional Court divorce. However, in the High Court, it remains an important instrument to ensure that a divorce is handled in a fair manner, and that a wife is not being left without maintenance, or unable to effectively litigate against her husband.

This article is a general information sheet and should not be used or relied on as legal or other professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information herein. Always contact your legal adviser for specific and detailed advice. Errors and omissions excepted (E&OE)

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When couples divorce it’s often the children that feel the brunt of it. Sometimes it’s the other person in the relationship that suffers economically. Hence the reason there’s a legal duty towards maintenance after divorce, which is an obligation to provide for another person.

A child of a divorced couple, for example, may need help with housing, food, education and medical care. Maintenance could also be understood as providing the means for the person to have the necessary essentials. Maintenance duties is based on factors such as blood relationship, adoption, or that two people are/were married to each other.

This duty is also referred to as ‘the duty to maintain’ or ‘the duty to support’.

Which parent supports the child?

If a couple has decided on getting divorced, then the child has to be supported by both the parents, regardless if they’re living together or whether or not the child was adopted. In some cases, the grandparents are also responsible for the child’s maintenance, even if the parents weren’t married. This usually happens if the parents are unable to support the child.

What if the child is living with one parent?

In scenarios where the child is living with one of the parents, it is still the duty of the other parent to also contribute to the maintenance of the child. Many people in South Africa, especially women, face the reality of an ex-spouse who doesn’t live with the child and doesn’t want to pay maintenance. However, there is no legal way out of a parent contributing to a child’s maintenance, even if one of the parents re-marries.

What if you can’t find your non-paying ex-spouse?

If one of the child’s parents refuses to pay and doesn’t make their whereabouts known, then it is the responsibility of the state to claim maintenance from the unpaying parent. Maintenance investigators will try solve the issue and trace the person who is responsible for maintenance.

When does the maintenance end?

Until a child reaches the age of 18, his/her parents or another person (guardian) will have the parental rights and responsibilities for the child. This includes the maintenance of the child. So both the divorced parents of a child will have to contribute to the caring and maintenance of the child at least until he/she becomes an adult.

References:

Anderson, AM. Dodd, A. Roos, MC. 2012. “Everyone’s Guide to South African Law. Third Edition”. Zebra Press.

Justice.gov.za. The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, Family Law, Maintenance. [online] Available at: http://www.justice.gov.za/vg/children/ [Accessed 13/05/2016].

This article is a general information sheet and should not be used or relied on as legal or other professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information herein. Always contact your legal adviser for specific and detailed advice. Errors and omissions excepted (E&OE)

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Normal procedure in an opposed divorce:

Divorce proceedings can lead to a long, drawn-out and very expensive procedure if the parties are not able to reach a settlement before going to trial. Once the plaintiff issues a summons for divorce and the summons has been served on the defendant, the defendant has ten days to defend the matter, and a further twenty days to answer to the allegations contained in the particulars of the claim. Because divorce proceedings can take years to finalise, especially in the High Court, there is also the possibility of an interim maintenance application in both the Regional and High Court, which leads to further delays.

Once both parties have discovered what documentation they wish to use at trial, a pre-trial conference needs to be conducted in order for the court to determine whether the matter is trial ready. If the matter is declared trial ready, a trial date will be allocated, and the parties can be up to three years down the line from the date of issuing the summons.

Settlement before the summons has been issued:

The abovementioned procedure can be avoided to a large extent, if the parties who decide to get divorced, agree to do so on an amicable basis from the start, and are able to reach a settlement before instituting legal proceedings. The settlement agreement in divorce proceedings is referred to as a “consent paper”.

Especially in divorces with regards to marriages in community of property, or marriages out of community of property where the parties do not have substantial assets to divide, it is a viable option to conclude a settlement as soon as possible, as the division of the assets should be fairly simple.

Consent paper:

The parties need to address all the patrimonial consequences of the divorce in the consent paper. An agreement needs to be reached on the division of movable and immovable assets, and the possible realisation of certain assets in order to make the division of the assets easier. Furthermore, if there are minor children involved in the divorce, a settlement needs to be reached as to which parent the minor children will reside with, and the visiting rights of the other parent. The maintenance of the minor children will also need to be addressed, and the possible rehabilitative/lifelong maintenance of a maintenance dependent spouse.

Procedure of a settled divorce:

If the parties reach a settlement by means of a consent paper before a summons is issued, the consent paper will be attached to the particulars of the claim of the summons. The summons will still need to be issued and served by the sheriff on the defendant. Once the summons has been served, and the ten days to defend the matter has passed (which will happen in a case which was settled before the issuing of the summons), the plaintiff in the matter can request a date from the registrar of the court on the unopposed roll. Once a date is received, the matter still needs to be set down in accordance with the rules of court, and the defendant needs to be notified of the date. However, on the court date itself, only the plaintiff and his/her legal representative need to be in court. The terms of the consent paper will then form part of the divorce order.

Benefits of an early settlement:

The benefits of reaching an early settlement in a divorce are that the parties will not have to spend large sums on legal costs, which would be the case if a divorce is opposed and goes to trial. It will also ensure the swift conclusion of the matter, which can be concluded in a few months. Children benefit from a swift settlement of a divorce, as they do not have to live through a drawn-out legal battle, in which they usually become bargaining tools. Thus, an early settlement is an outcome which should be endeavoured for, as it is in the best interests of all parties involved.

This article is a general information sheet and should not be used or relied on as legal or other professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information herein. Always contact your legal adviser for specific and detailed advice. Errors and omissions excepted (E&OE)

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Are you recently divorced and a stay-at-home parent? Know your rights and get what you deserve!

In South African law, section 7(2) of the Divorce Act deals with the payment of maintenance in situations where no settlement agreement has been entered into between the parties, and it’s up to the courts to deal with the matter of maintenance.

What happens if I get divorced?

Rehabilitative maintenance refers to divorce situations where a maintenance order is given for a certain time after the divorce is finalised. The court makes a decision based on certain factors, including; the divorcing couple’s current and potential future financial means, their ages, the length of the marriage, their standard of living before the divorce, and any behaviour that may have contributed to the divorce.

In South Africa, no maintenance will be awarded to someone who can support themselves, or has the ability to support themselves. If the stay-at-home parent has not abandoned or downscaled his/her career to stay at home to take care of the children, no maintenance will be awarded.

How can the law protect me?

An award for rehabilitative maintenance is usually given when the court finds that a marriage has significantly affected the ability of one person to support themselves. When maintenance is awarded, the court takes into consideration the amount of time it will take for the stay-at-home parent to upskill him/herself to re-enter the job market. In many cases, it isn’t possible for the stay-at-home parent to re-enter the job market, and they may find themselves without an income once the period of rehabilitative maintenance is over.

Courts need to look at how employable the stay-at-home parent is when he/she seeks a maintenance award. If employability isn’t possible, the stay-at-home parent should be granted maintenance until death or remarriage.

The ages of the couple’s children will also be taken into consideration, as well as which parent will be the primary resident parent. Rehabilitative maintenance could be awarded to the stay-at-home parent to take care of the children until they can support themselves.

This article is a general information sheet and should not be used or relied on as legal or other professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information herein. Always contact your legal adviser for specific and detailed advice. Errors and omissions excepted (E&OE).

References:

http://www.w24.co.za/Work/Legal/Stay-at-home-spouses-divorce-and-maintenance-20150219

http://www.justice.gov.za/legislation/acts/1979-070.pdf

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If a married couple has decided on getting divorced, the process may seem daunting and uncomfortable. However, it can be done efficiently, but there may still be a lot of emotional difficulty involved. It’s important to note that divorce is a last resort in a marriage. If it’s a civil marriage, it needs to be dissolved by a court, and like a court case, good grounds for the divorce have to be given. Divorce isn’t a do-it-yourself matter.

What reasons are good reasons?

1. Firstly, and most importantly, you have to be absolutely certain that divorce is the only option for you and your spouse. This is because you would have to prove to a court that you and your spouse can’t live together anymore and there is no possibility of reconciliation or for you two to love one another again. An unconsciousness or mentally ill spouse, for example, could also be a valid reason for divorce.
2. Other forms of proof or grounds needed for a divorce are evidence that you and your spouse haven’t been living together for a very long period of time, one of the partner’s cheated, one partner left or that there was abuse involved in the relationship, such as physical abuse.

Steps to take

1. The first step is to prepare a summons for a court. Going through a Family Court will be cheaper than a High Court. The summons would include details such as who will have custody of the children and how the other parent will see the children, if there are children involved. Other details would include maintenance and how property will be split.
2. You can consult an attorney beforehand to help you with the divorce summons and the court proceedings. The Sheriff of the Court will serve the summons to the other spouse or ‘defendant’. In some cases, the defendant may decide to oppose the summons, in which case their attorney will send back a plea (answer to the summons).
3. The two parties may try reach a settlement agreement before the hearing. Regardless of whether or not the they have reached an agreement the case will still be heard in a court before a decree of divorce is issued. As mentioned earlier, divorce has to go through a court.
4. After the summons has been submitted to the court a hearing date will be set. A divorce order will be granted after the judge at the hearing has settled everything and confirmed what has been presented as grounds for the divorce.

This article is a general information sheet and should not be used or relied on as legal or other professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information herein. Always contact your legal adviser for specific and detailed advice. Errors and omissions excepted (E&OE).

References:

Anderson, AM. Dodd, A. Roos, MC. 2012. “Everyone’s Guide to South African Law. Third Edition”. Zebra Press.

Westerncape.gov.za. Western Cape Government. Getting Divorced Page. [online] Available at: https://www.westerncape.gov.za/service/getting-divorced/ [Accessed 25/05/2016].

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A husband and wife buy a house together. Their marriage takes a tumble, along with their ­finances, and they have to sell their home and are left with an outstanding mortgage bond. They subsequently got divorced. The couple is concerned about what will happen to the debts and who will be ­responsible for paying them.

Who pays what after divorce?

If the couple was married in ­community of property, the debt on the property is a joint debt. They will be jointly and severally liable. This means that each partner is not just liable for half the debt now that they are divorced, in fact the bank can seek the full amount from either of them. The one spouse who is held liable by the bank would then have a claim of 50% of the debt against the other, but it would be his or her responsibility to collect that debt (not the bank’s). Alternatively, the bank may agree to accept 50% from one person and release them from the ­liability, but it does not have to.

Sometimes, the divorce settlement makes a special mention of the mortgage. But if there is no clause in the divorce, the joint liability principle applies. After a divorce, the husband and wife should present their bank with a copy of the divorce settlement. This will remove any uncertainty about ownership and liability for bond payments.

Getting divorced while under debt review

If you get divorced while you are under debt review and you have the debt review court order in place, then this will need to be rescinded and for new debt counselling applications to be started, as in order to follow on with the debt counselling process you will need to reapply, but will now need to be seen as two single applications. A new budget and new proposals will also have to be drawn up.

This article is a general information sheet and should not be used or relied on as legal or other professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information herein. Always contact your legal adviser for specific and detailed advice. Errors and omissions excepted (E&OE).

References:

“Debt And Divorce”. News24. N.p., 2017. Web. 12 June 2017.

“Debt Review After A Divorce Settlement – Debt Review”. Debtbusters. N.p., 2017. Web. 13 June 2017.

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If a couple has gotten divorced and they have a child, then it’s the responsibility of both parents to support the child. The duty to pay maintenance cannot be avoided, regardless of either parents’ situation. If one parent refuses to pay maintenance, then the other parent can go to a court and make a claim. Being a single parent doesn’t mean being the only one to contribute to maintenance.

What should I do about it?

To deal with a spouse who refuses to pay maintenance you would first need to inform the maintenance officer. The maintenance officer can apply to the court for:

1. A warrant of execution;
2. An attachment order against the defaulter’s salary;
3. An order to attach any debts; and
4. A criminal prosecution.

Does the non-paying parent have a defence?

The only defence that a parent could have for not paying maintenance is having a lack of income. However, if the parent is unwilling to work, such as laziness, then this will not count as a defence. Failure to pay maintenance is taken very serious, guilty parents won’t get much sympathy from the court or others. If the parent is capable of working, then they will be expected to pay maintenance.

But I can’t find my ex-spouse?

Non-paying parents may think that they’re being clever by changing their address and not notifying the court. This is considered a criminal offence, and will result in punishment. Fortunately, it’s not the responsibility of the single parent to find anyone. A maintenance investigator will track down and find a non-paying parent.

How to claim maintenance

If you want someone to pay maintenance or believe that they are not paying the proper amount, then you can follow these steps at your local magistrate’s court. Remember to go the court in the district where you live.

1. Go to the court and complete the form “Application for a maintenance order (J101)”.
2. Also submit proof of your monthly income and expenses.
3. A date will be set on which you and the respondent (the person whom you wish to pay maintenance) must go to the court.
4. A maintenance officer and an investigator will investigate your claim and look into your circumstances.
5. The court will serve a summons on the respondent.
6. The respondent then has to either agree to pay the maintenance, or challenge the matter in court.

If found liable to pay maintenance

If the court finds someone liable for paying maintenance, it will make an order for the amount of maintenance to be paid. The court will also determine when and how the payments must be made. There are several ways the payments could be made. The court can order that the maintenance be paid at the local magistrate’s office or that the amount to be paid into the bank account chosen by the person claiming. The payments could also just be made directing to them. According to the new Maintenance Act (1998), an employer can deduct payments from an employee’s salary, if they’re liable for paying maintenance.

This article is a general information sheet and should not be used or relied on as legal or other professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information herein. Always contact your legal adviser for specific and detailed advice. Errors and omissions excepted (E&OE).

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