It is a sad fact of life that many of our marriages end up in a divorce; and as the statistics imply that up to two-thirds of all marriages, depending on where you live and into what social bracket you fall, end in a divorce; it is advisable to know your rights.

A divorce order should cover the dissolution of the marriage, custody, guardianship and care of children, maintenance for the spouse (if applicable) and the division of/or be awarding of assets and liabilities acquired before, during and at the end of the marriage relationship.

What do I need to do?

An often heard plea.

Every working day hundreds of people get divorced throughout the RSA.

A “traveller’s marriage” may seem romantic, but can quickly turn into a nightmare! 

 As the world gets smaller and smaller and global movement increases, an “international wedding” becomes a much greater reality for many couples.

From the beach wedding in Mauritius to the castle wedding in Ireland or the Tuscan wedding in Italy.

These are all distinct possibilities if one can afford it.

This international marriage or “traveller’s marriage” may seem romantic, but can quickly turn into a nightmare when questions regarding the matrimonial property regime of the parties are raised at the time of a divorce or the death of one of the parties to the marriage.

The question arises as to which legal regime governs the marriage: the country where they were married, the home country of a spouse, or the country in which the couple reside? Left in the air, the romantic traveller’s marriage could very well turn into a wearisome ball and chain and legal nightmare.