Case Name: Preston KINDLE, Appellant, v. Kikeu KINDLE, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1993-10-22
Citations: 629 So. 2d 176
Docket Number: No. 92-2618
Parties: Preston KINDLE, Appellant, v. Kikeu KINDLE, Appellee.
Judges: GRIFFIN, J., concurs.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 629
Pages: 176–178

Head Matter:
Preston KINDLE, Appellant, v. Kikeu KINDLE, Appellee.
No. 92-2618.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fifth District.
Oct. 22, 1993.
Rehearing Denied Jan. 5, 1994.
Sam E. Murrell, Law offices of Sam E. Murrell, Orlando, for appellant.
Peter Cushing, Orlando, for appellee.

Opinion:
RAINWATER, T.B., Associate Judge.
The parties to this action were married to one another on August 10, 1972, just over twenty years prior to the final judgment entered herein by the trial court. At the time of the purported marriage, the appellant/husband was already married. The ap-pellee/wife was not aware of this fact and, therefore, was an innocent victim of the hus band's wrongdoing. The trial judge awarded the wife permanent alimony and entered a final judgment of annulment.
The husband argues that alimony may only be awarded in connection with an action for dissolution of marriage. If we were to accept the husband's argument, he would, in essence, be rewarded for his wrongdoing.
The Florida Supreme Court addressed this issue in Burger v. Burger, 166 So.2d 433, 436 (Fla.1964): "When a wife is an innocent victim of the husband's wrong, then the court may allow permanent alimony and attorneys' fees on equitable principles as well as under Section 65.08, Florida Statutes-" [emphasis added]. Husband argues that Burger does not apply because Florida's divorce statute at that time provided grounds which included: "(9) That either party had a husband or wife living at the time of the marriage sought to be annulled." Section 65.-04(9), Florida Statutes (1963).
In Burger, the supreme court clearly stated that alimony could be awarded on "equitable principles as well as" the Florida Statutes. It would be grossly inequitable to deny alimony to a putative wife of a twenty-year marriage because the husband fraudulently entered into a marriage ceremony.
The judgment awarding permanent alimony is AFFIRMED.
GRIFFIN, J., concurs.
THOMPSON, J., dissents, with opinion.