Child Custody & Maintenance Lawyers in Johannesburg
Hugh Raichlin Attorneys assists parents and caregivers from its Norwood office in Johannesburg with care, contact, parental responsibilities and child maintenance. These are often searched for as “custody”, “visitation” or “child support”. Whether your concern arises during divorce, after separation or outside a marriage, start with the child's needs, the current arrangements and any existing order.
The initial telephone discussion is free and helps us understand whether the firm can assist. A paid consultation is arranged where appropriate. We aim to follow up within one working day after receiving your enquiry.
Attorney
Family-law work including parenting arrangements, maintenance applications and settlement agreements.
This page is for you if…
- You need to agree where a child lives and how contact works.
- You are struggling with maintenance, missed payments or changing expenses.
- An existing parenting arrangement is not being followed.
- You need advice about relocation, consent or parental responsibilities.
Which part of the arrangement needs attention?
Care and contact, financial support and the written plan need to work together, but they do not always require the same legal step.
How Hugh Raichlin Attorneys can help
Practical parenting arrangements
We assist with care and contact proposals, parenting plans, communication protocols and the implementation or variation of existing arrangements. A plan should address school routines, holidays, transport, health decisions and how disagreements will be raised.
Maintenance advice and proceedings
We help organise a realistic expense schedule, assess financial information and pursue or respond to maintenance applications. Enforcement and variation need to be distinguished: a change in circumstances does not automatically change an existing order.
Disputed responsibilities and consent
We can assess questions about parental responsibilities, the involvement of the Family Advocate and the appropriate forum. We do not assume that marital status or a parent's gender decides the outcome.
What to consider before deciding
Keep parenting and payment disputes separate
A dispute over payment does not make it appropriate to use a child's contact arrangements as leverage. Similarly, a contact disagreement is not a reason to stop supporting a child. Existing orders and genuine safety concerns require careful handling.
There is no standard arrangement for every family
A child's age, routines, relationships, safety and views where appropriate all matter. Equal time is not an automatic entitlement, and a parent should not promise a child a particular legal outcome.
When to contact us
Seek advice before making a major unilateral change, particularly about residence, schooling or travel. Tell the firm about pending hearings and existing orders during the initial discussion. HRA is not an emergency-response service.
Care, contact and support around the child's best interests
Care & contact arrangements
Where a child lives, contact schedules, decision-making and how disagreements are managed.
Financial support
Realistic expenses, the paying parent's means, enforcement of arrears and variation of orders.
The child's best interests
Both tracks connect through the child's needs. There is no compulsory sequence from a maintenance order to mediation.
The next steps
- 1Explain the current arrangements and any immediate concern.
- 2Review existing orders, responsibilities and the child's practical needs.
- 3Develop proposals and consider suitable negotiation or mediation.
- 4Take the appropriate formal step and clarify implementation.
Information to prepare
A brief enquiry is enough to begin. Have the relevant information available where possible for the consultation; provide children's detailed records only when requested through an appropriate channel.
- Existing parenting agreements, maintenance orders and any current court papers.
- A short factual timeline of the current care and contact arrangements.
- School, health, handover and transport needs relevant to the issue.
- An outline of child-related expenses and payment records.
- Any proposed travel, relocation or significant change in routine.
- Relevant correspondence you can lawfully access and any immediate safety concern.
Common mistakes to avoid
Avoid hostile messages, speaking for the child, withholding payments as leverage or relying on a verbal change to a court order. Do not assume a parenting-plan template addresses consent, safety or enforcement.
Relevant experience for your matter
Jessica and Mpho work on family-law proceedings, maintenance issues, parenting plans and settlements. The firm combines those capabilities with Hugh's family-law and mediation experience.
Jessica El-Hage
Attorney
LLB · University of Johannesburg
Family-law work including parenting arrangements, maintenance applications and settlement agreements.
View Jessica's profile
Mpho Kutumela
Attorney
BA, LLB · University of the Witwatersrand
Parenting plans, maintenance proceedings and financial-disclosure preparation.
View Mpho's profile
Hugh Raichlin
Principal Attorney & Accredited Mediator
BA, LLB · University of the Witwatersrand
40 years of legal experience across family-law matters, with mediation credentials where a facilitated process is suitable.
View Hugh's profileFrequently asked questions
Is “custody” still the correct term?
It is a familiar search term. South African advice commonly addresses care, contact, guardianship and parental responsibilities and rights; the exact issue should be identified.
Can unmarried parents obtain assistance?
Yes. We can assess responsibilities, existing agreements and the steps needed. The result depends on the legal framework and facts, not only marital status.
Does child maintenance end at 18?
Not necessarily. Support may continue where a child is not self-supporting. The order, dependency and circumstances need to be assessed.
Is the Family Advocate my private attorney?
No. The Office of the Family Advocate has an independent child-focused role. HRA can advise you about your position and how that process relates to your matter.
Related services
Discuss your parenting or maintenance matter.
Tell us the practical concern and any existing orders. A brief enquiry is enough to begin the assessment.
How to get started
- 1
Send a brief enquiry, or start an AI-assisted WhatsApp enquiry at any time.
- 2
The initial telephone discussion is free and helps the firm assess whether it can assist. Where the firm may be able to help, an attorney ordinarily follows up within one working day.
- 3
Where appropriate, a paid consultation is arranged. Its scope and fees are confirmed separately; consultations are usually in person, with remote arrangements considered where suitable.
WhatsApp AI gathers initial information; it does not provide legal advice. An enquiry does not confirm an appointment, acceptance of a matter or action on a deadline.
Contact the firm
This website provides general information, not legal advice. Sending an enquiry does not by itself create an attorney-client relationship. Each matter is assessed on its own facts.