Maintenance for children is a very important and often sensitive area. Every child has the right to basic necessities such as housing, food, clothing and medical and education expenses. Parents or relatives have a duty to support children, and, in all cases where children live with one of the parents, the other parent has a duty to contribute maintenance for the children. Fighting with an ex-partner for money to support children is a harsh reality for many Women in South Africa. However, since 1999 the administrative system for obtaining and enforcing maintenance orders has become more user-friendly and effective. Who Must Pay? Both parents, whether they were married or not, have a duty to support their children. This also applies to parents who have adopted a child. If parents cannot maintain their children, grandparents can also be ordered to pay maintenance. Step-parents have no legal duty to maintain their stepchildren.… Read More

Child custody and support lawyers help a parent in gaining custody of a child or children after a divorce or in certain other circumstances. Lawyers dealing with child custody will also assist in visitation rights for the noncustodial parent. The court will make a decision based on the child or children's best interest and it is up to a child custody lawyer to assist a parent in this regard. There are several types of child custody: Sole Legal Custody: This is when sole legal custody is awarded to a parent that makes every decision in regard to the education, health and welfare of a child or children with no input from the other parent. Sole Physical Custody: The child or children remain with the one parent and the other has no physical custody of the child whatsoever. This is normally the ruling in cases where a child has been seriously… Read More

Criminal defense lawyers are available to those who maybe facing criminal charges and need a good attorney to represent them in a court of law. When a person has been accused of committing a crime they are faced with the awful possibility of ending up in jail and a good defence attorney will be able to negotiate with prosecutors and best represent a criminal case often resulting in the avoidance of the defendant going to prison or ending up with reduced charges or sentences. If you have been charged with a criminal offence, you should be asking the question ‘why would you need a criminal defence lawyer?’ The answer is that if you have been charged with something, you should definitely get a professional attorney to represent you.   What is a criminal defense lawyer? A criminal defence lawyer will try to stop charges being filed against you and will defend… Read More

If you are going through or about to go through a divorce or separation from your spouse or partner, you will want to know of at least three decent South African divorce lawyers who you know you can trust to get the job done and to protect your interests. These legal representatives can help you out in matters such as child custody, child maintenance and divorce settlement amounts. However, without a law degree of your own, how will you know which lawyers are good and which are mediocre?   How to tell if a lawyer is good or not It is important to find out what makes a good divorce lawyer before you make your choice.   The following points are all influencing factors that will allow you to tell the good lawyers from the bad. Is nasty a good thing? Many people are under the misconception that a good… Read More

If you are having trouble with debt and think that you may need assistance, you should consider how debt settlement lawyers can help you and perhaps look into getting some legal help. It is always a good idea to look for professional assistance when you are in trouble with your finances, and particularly with debt.   What are debt settlement lawyers? A debt settlement lawyer is a lawyer who represents the interests of individuals who have found themselves unable to pay off their debt because of financial problems. The debt settlement lawyer will look after the interests of the individual and make sure that creditors will only take what the individual can afford. This type of attorney will usually specialise in debt settlement or in financial law at least. They will be able to ensure that you are treated as fairly as possible and not walked all over.   Why… Read More

Accident lawyers are available if you have had a recent accident and now need a lawyer to assist you in all the legal matters involved with making a claim or if you have to go to court. Types of accidents that occur and may require you to seek the help of a lawyer are head injuries, car accidents, motorcycle accidents, wrongful death, dog bites, workers compensation or back injuries to name a few.   Exactly what is an accident lawyer? An accident lawyer is a legal expert who represents individuals who have been involved in accidents. He/she would look out for the interests of an individual who has suffered some damage, loss or trauma in an accident of any nature and try to ensure that the individual receives compensation and gets justice. An accident lawyer would usually be a legal representative who specialises in this area and has experience in… Read More