CHRISTA SANFORD, APPELLANT,
v.
ARTHUR CAROL SANFORD, APPELLEE

Fla. 4th DCA | 1987-09-16
No. 4-86-2791
HERSEY, C.J., and DOWNEY and STONE, JJ., concur.
512 So. 2d 1084 Florida District Court of Appeal, Fourth District (1987) Positive Treatment
Also reported at: 12 Fla. L. Weekly 2241 · 1987 Fla. App. LEXIS 10254
Cited by 4 cases

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Synopsis

In a dissolution of marriage case, the wife sought relief from a judgment awarding the husband a $85,000 condominium deposit refund, alleging the husband obtained the judgment through fraud by misrepresenting that she had not signed the purchase contract. The appellate court reversed and remanded for an evidentiary hearing, finding the trial court should not have decided the fraud claim without hearing evidence.


Holding

The court reversed and remanded, holding that the trial court should have conducted an evidentiary hearing on the wife's motion for relief rather than deciding the matter based solely on counsel's arguments and the documents presented, as it was unclear whether the wife had signed the contract and what her rights to the deposit might be.


Headnotes

[1] A trial court must hold an evidentiary hearing on a motion for relief from judgment when the motion alleges fraud or misrepresentation and attaches evidence supporting th…

[2] A motion for relief from judgment based on fraud or misrepresentation requires an evidentiary hearing if the moving party presents a prima facie case.

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Key Quotes

“Although it may be that the wife will not be entitled to any of the deposit even though she signed the contract and was one of the named purchasers, that is a determination for the trial court to make in the first instance.”

Establishes that the trial court must hold an evidentiary hearing to determine the wife's actual rights, even if she ultimately may not recover.

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Facts & Procedural History

The parties contracted to purchase a condominium apartment in Boca Raton while their relationship was good. When the relationship deteriorated, they d…

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Opinion of the Court
PER CURIAM.

PER CURIAM.

This is a non-final appeal from an order of the trial court entered October 24, 1986 which denied appellant’s motion, styled a motion for rehearing but treated as a motion for relief under Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.540(b).

This litigation commenced as a petition for dissolution of marriage. Final judgment was entered and was lately pending herein on plenary appeal1 when appellant filed a petition in the lower court for a determination of her right to certain monies not referred to in the final judgment. It appears that prior to the filing of the dissolution action, when the parties were enjoying better relations, they contracted to purchase a condominium apartment in Boca Raton, Florida. When their relationship deteriorated they defaulted on the contract and the seller retained the substantial deposit. The final judgment of dissolution, among other things, ordered appellee to hold appellant harmless as a result of the cancellation of the contract for the purchase of the aforesaid condominium apartment.

Apparently, after the judgment was entered the husband succeeded in working out a settlement with the condominium seller in which the seller agreed to refund $85,000 of the deposit. This prompted appellant to seek her alleged share thereof. The husband contended that he was entitled to the deposit because the wife had no interest therein since she did not sign the contract and because he furnished all the money for the deposit which came from funds which were not marital assets. At a hearing on the issue, the appellee husband exhibited to the court the alleged contract containing only appellee's signature. The trial court entered judgment for the husband holding he was entitled to the deposit. Subsequently, appellant filed the present motion for relief from the judgment contending that appellee had obtained the favorable judgment by fraud and misrepresentation in that appellant had signed the contract and was entitled thereby to a portion of the deposit. A copy of the contract signed by appellant was attached to said motion. The trial court heard argument of counsel but no evidence and denied the motion. Appellant, relying upon Stella v. Stella, 418 So. 2d 1029 (Fla. 4th DCA 1982), contends the trial court should have held an evidentiary hearing. We agree. Although it may be that the wife will not be entitled to any of the deposit even though she signed the contract and was one of the named purchasers, that is a determination for the trial court to make in the first instance. As the record stands, it appears the court may have decided the matter favorably to the husband because the wife had not signed the contract as represented by the husband.

Accordingly, we reverse the order appealed from and remand the cause to the trial court for an evidentiary hearing on appellant’s motion for post-judgment relief.

HERSEY, C.J., and DOWNEY and STONE, JJ., concur. .

That appeal was decided by this court on June 10, 1987, and appears at 508 So. 2d 516.


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Citator

Cited By

  • Dynasty Express Corp. v. Bernie T. Weiss, 675 So. 2d 235 (Fla. 4th DCA 1996)
    …formation as a negotiating tool to lower the offer amount, these factual determinations and their impact should be resolved by the trial court. Finally, counsel’s arguments did not satisfy the need for an evidentiary hearing. See Sanford v. Sanford, 512 So. 2d 1084 (Fla. 4th DCA 1987) (even though there were arguments on rule 1.540(b)(3) motion for relief from judgment based on fraud, court reversed for evidentiary hearing). GLICKSTEIN, WARNER and POLEN, JJ., concur. . Concerning the post 1990 version of the…
  • Westberry v. Hovis L. Westberry, 543 So. 2d 446 (Fla. 4th DCA 1989)
    …PER CURIAM. Reversed and remanded for an evidentia-ry hearing. See Sanford v. Sanford, 512 So. 2d 1084 (Fla. 4th DCA 1987); Stella v. Stella, 418 So. 2d 1029 (Fla. 4th DCA 1982). ANSTEAD, GUNTHER and WARNER, JJ., concur.…

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