Case Name: James B. KRATZER, Appellant, v. Doris G. REIMILLER, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1989-11-30
Citations: 552 So. 2d 1188
Docket Number: No. 88-2175
Parties: James B. KRATZER, Appellant, v. Doris G. REIMILLER, Appellee.
Judges: COWART, J., concurs.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 552
Pages: 1188–1192

Head Matter:
James B. KRATZER, Appellant, v. Doris G. REIMILLER, Appellee.
No. 88-2175.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fifth District.
Nov. 30, 1989.
Michael R. Walsh, Orlando, for appellant.
Lawrence D. Johnson, Winter Park, for appellee.

Opinion:
DAUKSCH, Judge.
This is an appeal from a judgment in a marriage dissolution case. Appellee petitioned for the dissolution and did not seek, or allege entitlement to, alimony. Nor did she allege a need for and seek attorney's fees.
Appellant did not respond to the petition, so a default was taken against him. He received a notice of the final hearing and attended it without an attorney. We have no record of the trial but there is no allegation that there were any orders of the judge permitting any ore tenus amendments to the pleadings at trial. There is no allegation that the court granted appellee the right to amend the pleadings "to conform with the proof."
Because there are no pleadings alleging entitlement to alimony and attorney's fees and because there are no pleadings praying for alimony and attorney's fees it was error to award them.
We are aware that appellee filed a bare motion for attorneys fees and filed a "Wife's Compliance with Order Setting Non-Jury Trial and Scheduling Conference" where she said:
3. Alimony
a. Amount of alimony proposed by the Wife for the Wife — Husband's interest in 1987 Ford Mustang. Lump sum and periodic rehabilitative alimony.

5. Personal Property.
b. . If the Husband obtains alternative financing and the Wife's name is removed from present financing on the vehicle the Wife has no objection to title of the vehicle being conveyed to the Husband. If the Husband does not obtain other financing and remove the Wife from liability, the Court should either award the Wife periodic rehabilitative alimony to cover the indebtness [sic] and award the vehicle as lump sum alimony to avoid the credit of the Wife being ruined.

6. Attorney's Fees and Court Costs.
a. The amount of attorney fees and court costs sought by the Wife— $1,728.00.
b. Testimony will be offered on this issue at trial.
This document in the record is not a pleading and is not a substitute for a proper petition. Additionally, appellee declared in this document that "There are no pending nor anticipated requests for amendments to the pleadings." The motion for fees and costs does not allege entitlement or ability to pay.
Whether this failure to plead for alimony and attorney's fees was intentional or negligent is of no matter. It is wrong to give what is not properly pleaded. See Hines v. Hines, 494 So.2d 297 (Fla. 3d DCA 1986); Massey v. Massey, 478 So.2d 478 (Fla. 2d DCA 1985); Cooper v. Cooper, 406 So.2d 1223 (Fla. 4th DCA 1981); James v. James, 374 So.2d 1085 (Fla. 5th DCA 1979).
Those portions of the judgment awarding alimony and fees are reversed; otherwise, the judgment is affirmed.
AFFIRMED in part; REVERSED in part.
COWART, J., concurs.
SHARP, J., dissents with opinion.