Purger v. Purger

3 Fla. Supp. 2d 1
CourtCircuit Court for the Judicial Circuits of Florida
DecidedJuly 8, 1981
DocketNo. 77-13933
StatusPublished

This text of 3 Fla. Supp. 2d 1 (Purger v. Purger) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Circuit Court for the Judicial Circuits of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Purger v. Purger, 3 Fla. Supp. 2d 1 (Fla. Super. Ct. 1981).

Opinion

MARK POLEN, Circuit Judge

THIS CAUSE came on for final hearing of the above cause, and the Court having heard the testimony of the witnesses and having examined the evidence and having heard argument of counsel, hereby vacates the Final Judgment for Partition rendered June 26, 1981 in favor of the Amended Final Judgment for Partition, and makes the following findings of fact and conclusions of law:

1. In 1976, the Petitioner, JACQUELINE W. PURGER, the Wife, filed a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage between her and Respondent, JOHN C. PURGER, the Husband. After a final hearing and appeal, the Final Judgment by which the marriage was dissolved on August 19, 1977, became final. Subsequent thereto, the Petitioner herein filed a Complaint for Partition, alleging that:

“A. The plaintiff is a resident of Broward County, Florida, and is a tenant in common with the Defendant, JOHN C. PURGER, who is also a resident of Broward County, Florida.

B. The property sought to be partitioned is located at 3080 N.E. 42 Street, Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, Florida, and is legally described as:

Lot 9, Block L, CORAL RIDGE COUNTRY CLUB ADDITION NO. 3, according to the Plat thereof, recorded in Plat Book 52, Page 14, of the Public Records of Broward County, Florida.

[2]*2C. The outstanding interests on said property are:

JACQUELINE W. PURGER, whose residence is 6475-4 Bay Club Drive, Bldg. #17, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, as tenant in common with JOHN C. PURGER, whose residence is 6134 N.E. 64 Street, Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
SOUTHEAST MORTGAGE COMPANY, 1390 Brickell Ave., Miami, FL, holder of the first mortgage on said property, in the original principal amount of $41,000. The outstanding balance on said mortgage is $32,046.64. Said mortgage was dated the 22nd day of March, 1965, recorded the 24th day of March, 1965, in Official Records Book 2986, Page 92, of the Public Records of Broward County, Florida.

D. The property is indivisible and is not subject to partition in kind without prejudice to the owners.”

2. After several continuances, the cause was heard by the Court, which considered the testimony of the Petitioner, Respondent, a Certified Public Accountant, and a neighbor. No objection was offered to the testimony of petitioner, who generally testified to residence, the dissolution proceeding and Judgment, and the indivisibility of the subject property. The contested issues centered around the type of sale; the amounts paid on behalf of, and incident to, the marital domicile and its repair and maintenance expenses by Respondent; a description of the subject property which has deteriorated without repair from the time of entry of the Dissolution Judgment of 1977; whether Respondent has resided in the marital domicile after the entry of the Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage. The Court considered a great deal of documentary evidence and pleadings involved in the dissolution proceeding, the form appropriate for filing a homestead exemption on behalf of the marital domicile, and testimony describing the expenses and damages to the home.

3. The Court considers the following issues:

A. Where a Judgment of Dissolution, and Order on Supersedeas, state that each party shall have the right to one-half interest in the obligation and liabilities of the marital domicile, including a credit to the Respondent for amounts paid on the marital domicile, and incidental thereto, is the issue res judicata among the parties?

B. May the Petitioner “set off” certain claims by reasonable rental value, so as to reduce amounts owed to the Respondent by virtue of a Judgment and Order?

[3]*3C. May the Court provide for a clerk’s sale pursuant to §45.081, Florida Statutes, (1980), or would the appointment of a special master be in the best interests of the litigants.

4. In resolution of the above issues the Court finds that in reference to issue 3A above, once an Order becomes final, a Court retains power to modify the time and manner of its enforcement, but does not retain power, unless by statute, rule, or by specific reservation in the Order, to amend or modify or alter its provisions. See DeFillippis vs. DeFillippis, 378 So.2d 325 (Fla. 4th DCA 1980); Nahoom vs. Nahoom, 341 So.2d 257 (Fla. 3rd DCA 1977); Coastal Petroleum Company v. Mobil Oil Corp., 378 So.2d 336 (Fla. 1st DCA 1980).

In submitting to the Court that Respondent is entitled to one-half of the marital domicile costs, expenses, and, repair, Respondent seeks to obtain only what he is entitled to under the Judgment and Order— one-half of amounts paid on the marital domicile and property. Moreover, this amount includes one-half of amounts paid for, and incidental to, the marital domicile and its upkeep. In Granthum vs. Granthum, 374 So.2d 1104 (Fla. 1st DCA 1979), the First District held in its opinion:

(8) However, the trial court did err in not providing for the husband to receive credit for the wife’s share of the mortgage payment, taxes and insurance on the marital home which he is required to pay. Strollo vs. Strollo, 365 So.2d 189 (Fla. 1st DCA 1978), Rubino vs. Rubino, 372 So.2d 539 (Fla. 1st DCA 1979). That portion of the trial court’s Judgment is reversed and remanded for entry of an order consistent with this opinion.

In Strollo vs. Strollo, 365 So.2d 189 (Fla. 1st DCA 1979), the appellate court stated:

Upon divorce they owned it as tenants in common, and each had the burden of one-half of the expenses. Lyons vs. Lyons, 208 So.2d 137 (Fla. 2nd DCA 1968). However, the party who is made responsible for the mortgage payments should be allowed credit against the non-paying party’s one-half share from the proceeds of the sale of the home.

Accord, Jones vs. Jones, 330 So.2d 535 (Fla. 1st DCA 1976). See also Power vs. Power, 387 So.2d 546 (Fla. 5th DCA 1980).

Not only does the Judgment and Order of Supersedeas provide for credit, the law in Florida provides that the party paying for the marital domicile must be given credit against the non-paying party’s one-half share from the proceeds of the sale of the homeplace. Accordingly, the Court finds as a matter of law that Respondent shall take, and is entitled, to one-half of amounts he paid on behalf of the marital [4]*4domicile, which sum shall include amounts paid on the mortgage, insurance, taxes, pool service maintenance, exterminator services, and surrounding areas upkeep and maintenance, which shall include the time from the date of the filing of the Complaint for Partition on August 29, 1977, to the time of sale (discussed below), which sum is as follows up to September 30, 1981, or the time of sale, as ownership expenses:

A. Mortgage $12,133.00
B. Taxes $ 6,769.00
C. Pool Service $ 1,399.00
D. Exterminator Service 563.00
E. Surrounding areas maintenance, upkeep (yard, etc.) $ 3,465.00
F. Insurance $ 1,670.00

In addition, the Court hereby further concludes that both

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3 Fla. Supp. 2d 1, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/purger-v-purger-flacirct-1981.