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Filter: Family
Can an email qualify as a last will?

14 June 2021,  Millisanté de Wee

My aunt recently passed away suddenly due to Covid-19. In the hunt for her will, it transpired that she had... sent an email to her attorney in which she had asked for amendments to be made to her will and for some of the beneficiaries to be removed. The attorney confirmed that he had not had opportunity to draft a new will before my aunt passed. Can her email be seen as her valid last wishes?

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Can a testator rule from the grave?

16 March 2021,  Johnny Davis

I was recently appointed as the executor of a deceased estate of a family member. The provisions of the deceased’s... last will and testament are very strict and every bequest is subject to some form of condition. Do I have to adhere to the provisions of the last will and testament or did the deceased exceed his right to rule from the grave? 

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Who can inherit from a child’s estate?

10 February 2021,  Natalie Steenkamp

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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How to get a protection order against your harassing ex

15 September 2019

I have an ex who is harassing me in person and on social media after we broke up a few... weeks ago. The more I make it clear to him that we are done the more aggressive he gets and the uglier comments he makes on social media. I’m really scared to go out and run into him and I am so ashamed of everything he is saying on social media. I want him to stop, but I don’t have the money to go and see a lawyer. Can you tell me what to do?

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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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When does a parent’s duty to financially support a child end?

07 June 2018

I’m divorced and have been paying maintenance for my ex and my two children for a number of years. My... eldest son has now finished school and wants to go to university. My ex is now insisting that I must contribute to his university studies as part of my maintenance obligations. Surely now that he is an adult, my responsibility to maintain has stopped?

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