Case Name: Marcee LIBERATORE, Appellant, v. James H. LIBERATORE, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2012-12-14
Citations: 101 So. 3d 1290
Docket Number: No. 5D11-82
Parties: Marcee LIBERATORE, Appellant, v. James H. LIBERATORE, Appellee.
Judges: ORFINGER, C.J., SAWAYA and TORPY, JJ., concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Third Series
Volume: 101
Pages: 1290–1291

Head Matter:
Marcee LIBERATORE, Appellant, v. James H. LIBERATORE, Appellee.
No. 5D11-82.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fifth District.
Dec. 14, 2012.
Kenneth D. Morse of Kenneth D. Morse, P. A., Heathrow, for Appellant.
West, Green & Associates, P.A., and Cynthia L. Greene of Law Offices Greene Smith & Associates, P. A., Miami, for Ap-pellee.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
In this dissolution of marriage proceeding, the former wife raises several points on appeal, only one of which warrants discussion. The former wife challenges the trial court's allocation to her of depleted assets that she used during the pendency of the dissolution proceeding to pay her attorney. In the absence of a finding of misconduct, it is error to include a depleted marital asset in the equitable distribution scheme. Austin v. Austin, 12 So.3d 314 (Fla. 2d DCA 2009). The former husband does not dispute this legal proposition, but instead urges that the appeal of this issue is premature because the former wife might recoup this money, in whole or in part, when her motion for attorney's fees is determined. The former husband's argument misses the point. The distribution of marital assets is distinct from the determination of whether one spouse should pay the other spouse's attorney's fees. On remand, the trial court shall reconsider the distribution scheme to address this issue.
In all other respects, the final judgment is affirmed.
AFFIRMED IN PART; REVERSED IN PART AND REMANDED.
ORFINGER, C.J., SAWAYA and TORPY, JJ., concur.