Case Name: Nancy Marshall DRISCOLL, Appellant, v. James Henry DRISCOLL, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1989-08-09
Citations: 547 So. 2d 1247
Docket Number: No. 88-1035
Parties: Nancy Marshall DRISCOLL, Appellant, v. James Henry DRISCOLL, Appellee.
Judges: WALDEN, J., concurs.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 547
Pages: 1247–1248

Head Matter:
Nancy Marshall DRISCOLL, Appellant, v. James Henry DRISCOLL, Appellee.
No. 88-1035.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fourth District.
Aug. 9, 1989.
Rehearing Denied Sept. 19, 1989.
William D. Anderson, Jr., of William D. Anderson, Jr., P.A., Stuart, for appellant.
Jeffrey P. Thomas of Swann, Haddock, Kohl, Bobko & McKey, Stuart, for appellee.

Opinion:
LETTS, Judge.
At the conclusion of a dissolution proceeding, the trial court did not award any permanent periodic alimony. We reverse.
This is not an equitable distribution case for, indeed, there is little to distribute. Moreover, we are dealing with a marriage of only 5 years duration, no children, and each spouse having been married before. The wife is fifty-seven years old and upon entering into this union she gave up alimony payments due her from a previous marriage.
The dissolution now before us, has left the wife in a pathetic financial state. She has returned to work at the minimum wage and nets only $154 per week or some $8,000 per annum. The husband is in somewhat better shape, paying himself $450 per week "draw-down" out of his solely owned business which does, in addition, pay for some of his expenses.
The husband argues that this is not a long-term marriage and we do not disagree with that. However, there is no ease that prohibits the award of permanent periodic alimony upon dissolution of a five year marriage and we certainly believe it is appropriate under the totality of the circumstances here. Under the terms of the final judgment, the husband was ordered to make twelve $250 payments, one each month. We hold that these monthly payments shall continue as permanent periodic alimony, payable $250 per month, commencing August 15th, 1989.
In all other respects, the final judgment is affirmed.
AFFIRMED IN PART; REVERSED IN PART.
WALDEN, J., concurs.
GUNTHER, J., dissents with opinion.
. We assume the twelve monthly payments beginning March 1, 1988, and set forth in paragraph three of the final judgment, have by now been paid.