76 years in practice
Welkom, Free State
First Floor, Wessels & Smith Building, 26-28 Heeren Street, Welkom
+27 (0)57 391 9800
20 years in practice
Welkom, Free State
Ground Floor, Law Centre, 4-6 Heeren Street, Welkom+27 (0)57 352 5301
7 years in practice
Welkom, Free State
Multipol Insurance Building, 7 De Kaap St, Welkom Central, Welkom057 352 5291
11 years in practice
Welkom, Free State
1st Floor, Wessels & Smith Building, 26 - 28 Heerenstreet, Welkom, 94600573919800All of the 4 law firms we list in Welkom take on divorce matters, which shows how central this work is for local practices. The longest established are Wessels & Smith Attorneys (76 years), Steyn De Kock Inc (20 years) and Wessels & Smith Inc (11 years). All of them have a full profile on our site, with their people, history and the courts they use. Languages spoken across these firms include Afrikaans and English.
A divorce in South Africa is granted under the Divorce Act 70 of 1979, by a Regional Court or the High Court. If you and your spouse agree on everything, an uncontested divorce with a signed settlement agreement is usually the quickest and cheapest route. If you disagree about the children, maintenance or how the estate is split, the matter is contested and a lawyer becomes far more important.
Divorces are heard by the Regional Court or the High Court, while maintenance and protection orders are dealt with at the magistrate's court. The Welkom Magistrate's Court at Cnr Heeren and Buiten Streets, Welkom serves Welkom. The nearest Office of the Family Advocate is in Welkom itself: Office of the Family Advocate, Welkom, The Magistrate's Office, cnr Heeren and Buiten Street, Welkom, 9460. The Family Advocate looks after the interests of children in divorce and care disputes. The nearest Legal Aid SA office is in Welkom itself: Legal Aid SA Welkom Local Office, Archiquant Building, 8 Heeren Street, Welkom, 9460. Legal Aid helps people who pass its means test, mainly in criminal, family and eviction matters.
If both spouses sign a settlement agreement and the papers are in order, an uncontested divorce is often finalised in a few weeks to a few months, depending on how busy the court is. Contested divorces can take much longer.
It is possible to use the court's self-help process, but a lawyer helps make sure the settlement agreement properly covers the children, maintenance, pension interests and property, which is hard to fix later.
Ask how many divorces the firm handles, whether they offer mediation, how they charge (a fixed fee for uncontested divorces is common) and which court they will use. Compare two or three firms from the list above before you decide.
Maintenance claims and protection orders for people in Welkom are dealt with at the Welkom Magistrate's Court. Divorces can be heard in the Regional Court or in the Free State Division of the High Court.
The closest office is Office of the Family Advocate, Welkom in Welkom.
Legal Aid South Africa helps people who qualify under its means test. The closest office to Welkom is Legal Aid SA Welkom Local Office.
