VERNON FRETT
v.
CAROLYN M. FRETT
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Trial courts must make specific written findings identifying, valuing, and distributing marital and non-marital assets and liabilities, and failure to do so constitutes reversible error.
[1] Under Florida Statutes § 61.075(3), a trial court must make specific written findings identifying, valuing, and distributing marital and non-marital assets and liabilitie…
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“Section 61.075(3), Florida Statutes (2019), expressly requires trial courts to make specific written findings identifying, valuing, and distributing marital and non-marital assets and liabilities.”
Court's statement of the applicable legal standard for equitable distribution in divorce cases.
Vernon Frett appealed a final judgment dissolving his marriage to Carolyn Frett. The trial court distributed five marital assets—the marital residence…
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IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA
FIFTH DISTRICT
NOT FINAL UNTIL TIME EXPIRES TO
FILE MOTION FOR REHEARING AND
DISPOSITION THEREOF IF FILED
VERNON FRETT,
Appellant,
v. Case No. 5D20-187
CAROLYN M. FRETT,
Appellee.
________________________________/
Opinion filed August 28, 2020
Appeal from the Circuit Court for Orange County, Alan S. Apte, Judge.
Mark A. Skipper, of Law Office of Mark A. Skipper, PA, Orlando, for Appellant.
No Appearance for Appellee.
HARRIS, J.
Vernon Frett (“Former Husband”) appeals the final judgment dissolving his marriage to Carolyn Frett (“Former Wife”), arguing that the trial court distributed marital assets without entering specific findings as to their values. The final judgment entered below refers to only five marital assets—the marital residence, a vacant residential lot, and three vehicles. The final judgment awarded Former Wife all of the proceeds from the sale of the marital residence and from the sale of the vacant lot without providing any
2 valuation for those assets. Similarly the judgment awarded two of the parties’ vehicles to Former Husband and one vehicle to Former Wife, again without any asset valuation.
Section 61.075(3), Florida Statutes (2019), expressly requires trial courts to make specific written findings identifying, valuing, and distributing marital and non-marital assets and liabilities. Patino v. Patino, 122 So. 3d 961, 963 (Fla. 4th DCA 2013). The failure to include sufficient value findings in the final judgment constitutes reversible error. Id.
Because the trial court failed to make the required findings regarding equitable distribution, we reverse the final judgment. On remand, the trial court may conduct an evidentiary hearing to determine the value of the marital assets subject to equitable distribution and, based on these values, may reconsider the equitable distribution plan in its amended final judgment. REVERSED and REMANDED with instructions.
WALLIS and GROSSHANS, JJ., concur.