CECELIA H. WALTON, APPELLANT,
v.
RUSSELL A. WALTON, APPELLEE

Fla. 3d DCA | 1969-12-30
No. 69-380
Before CHARLES CARROLL, HEND-RY and SWANN, JJ.
230 So. 2d 49 Florida District Court of Appeal, Third District (1969) Positive Treatment
Cited by 4 cases

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Synopsis

The appellate court reversed a divorce judgment, finding insufficient evidence of continuous desertion for the statutory one-year period required by Florida law. The court emphasized that the desertion must be wilful, obstinate, and uninterrupted for the full year preceding the lawsuit.


Holding

No, the evidence was insufficient to establish that the desertion was continuous for the entire year prior to the filing of the divorce action.


Key Quotes

“It is appellant's contention that the testimony is insufficient to support the husband's allegation that she was guilty of desertion as defined by § 61.041(7) Fla. Stat., F.S.A.”

States the appellant's main argument on appeal.

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Facts & Procedural History

A husband sued for divorce, alleging his wife's desertion. The trial court granted the divorce on this ground and denied the wife's claims for alimony…

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Opinion of the Court
PER CURIAM.

PER CURIAM.

The defendant-wife appeals a final judgment which granted the plaintiff-husband a divorce on the ground of desertion, and denied her claim for alimony and certain expenses in connection with her defense of the suit.

It is appellant’s contention that the testimony is insufficient to support the husband’s allegation that she was guilty of desertion as defined by § 61.041(7) Fla. Stat., F.S.A. The above cited statute requires a spouse seeking divorce on the grounds of desertion to show that such desertion was “wilful, obstinate and continued * * * ” for a period of one year.

We find merit in the appellant’s contention that the complained-of desertion was not “continuous” for a period of one year immediately prior to the commencement of the law suit, as contemplated by the statute. See Fisher v. Fisher, Fla.App.1961, 134 So.2d 277; Walker v. Walker, Fla.App.1960, 123 So.2d 692.

Therefore, the final judgment of divorce is reversed.


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Citator

Cited By

  • Levine v. Nicholas Gonzalez, M.D., 901 So. 2d 969 (Fla. 4th DCA 2005)
    …So. 2d 944 (Fla. 1st DCA 1997); C.A. Leasing Serv. Corp. v. Zorn’s (Howard) Equip. Serv., 565 So. 2d 744 (Fla. 5th DCA 1990); Gas Dev. Corp. v. Royal Oak Builders, Inc., 253 So. 2d 738 (Fla. 4th DCA 1971); Narrows Corp. v. Boca Ciega Sanitary Dist., 230 So. 2d 49 (Fla. 2d DCA 1970); Miami Airlines, Inc. v. Webb, 114 So. 2d 361 (Fla. 3d DCA 1959). Rule 1.260(c) addresses “any transfer of interest,” which necessarily includes [*973] the transfer of interest in a chose of action through a court-ordered auction…
  • Collier v. Canal Ins. Co., 511 So. 2d 736 (Fla. 1st DCA 1987)
    …ourt has no discretion to terminate an action and enter adverse judgment on the merits solely because a transfer of interest has been made pending the suit. Several years later, the Second District, in Narrows Corp. v. Boca Ciega Sanitary District, 230 So. 2d 49 (Fla.2d DCA 1970), had occasion to interpret Rule 1.260(c) in a similar context. In Narrows, property owners brought an action contesting the validity of a special assessment which a Sanitary District had levied against their property. The trial cou…

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