68 years in practice
Empangeni, KwaZulu-Natal
Yellowood Lodge, 6 Norman Tedder Lane, Empangeni, KwaZulu-Natal
+27 (0)35 772 3516 Docex: 6 Empangeni
34 years in practice
Empangeni, KwaZulu-Natal
9 Union Street, Empangeni035 780 7200
Law Firm
Empangeni, KwaZulu-Natal
Unit 3, 1st floor, Old Mutual Building, Turnbull Street, Empangeni.075 484 6337
Law Firm
Empangeni, KwaZulu-Natal
Kingfisher Court, Unit 3B, 7 Addison Street, Empangeni+27 (0)35 792 2013 Docex: 8 EmpangeniAll of the 4 law firms we list in Empangeni take on divorce matters, which shows how central this work is for local practices. By years in practice, the most experienced are Schreiber Smith Attorneys (68 years) and Duvenage Inc (34 years). All of them have a full profile on our site, with their people, history and the courts they use.
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. Local matters are heard at the Empangeni Magistrate's Court at 6 Union Street, Empangeni 3880. The nearest Office of the Family Advocate is in Durban, about 150 km away: Office of the Family Advocate, Durban, 15th Floor, Maritime House, 143 Margaret Mncadi Avenue (Salmon Grove), Durban, 4001. The Family Advocate looks after the interests of children in divorce and care disputes. The nearest Legal Aid SA office is in Empangeni itself: Legal Aid SA Empangeni Local Office, Mazuli House, 7 Maxwell Street, Empangeni, 3008. 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 Empangeni are dealt with at the Empangeni Magistrate's Court. Divorces can be heard in the Regional Court or in the KwaZulu-Natal Division of the High Court.
The closest office is Office of the Family Advocate, Durban, about 150 km away.
Legal Aid South Africa helps people who qualify under its means test. The closest office to Empangeni is Legal Aid SA Empangeni Local Office.
