Case Name: Robin L. TUCKER, Appellant, v. James T. TUCKER, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2007-08-15
Citations: 966 So. 2d 25
Docket Number: No. 2D06-857
Parties: Robin L. TUCKER, Appellant, v. James T. TUCKER, Appellee.
Judges: THREADGILL, EDWARD F„ Senior Judge, Concurs.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 966
Pages: 25–30

Head Matter:
Robin L. TUCKER, Appellant, v. James T. TUCKER, Appellee.
No. 2D06-857.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Second District.
Aug. 15, 2007.
Allison M. Perry of Law Office of Allison M. Perry, P.A., Tampa, for Appellant.
James T. Tucker, pro se.

Opinion:
SALCINES, Judge.
Robin L. Tucker, the Former Wife, appeals the second amended final judgment of dissolution of marriage ("the final judgment"). We reverse the equitable distribution of marital assets as discussed below but otherwise affirm the final judgment without further discussion. -
The entire equitable distribution plan must be reversed due to the manner in which two assets of substantial value were treated. The first asset that dramatically impacted the equitable distribution plan is a townhouse located in Treasure Island, Florida. In the division of assets in the final judgment, the townhouse was distributed to the Former Wife. At the dissolution trial, James T. Tucker, the Former Husband, unsuccessfully attempted to introduce evidence of the value of the townhouse through the testimony of a realtor. The trial court sustained the Former Wife's objection to the realtor's testimony because he did not qualify as an expert and he was not permitted to testify. The only testimony about the value of the townhouse presented by the Former Husband was when he was asked if he valued the townhouse at $912,000 in his financial affidavit. He responded, 'Tes." No other testimony was given by the Former Husband concerning the valuation. He did not state how he calculated this figure, whether this sum represented the net equity value of the property, or whether the outstanding $295,000 mortgage on the property was included in this amount. The Former Wife presented no testimony about the current value of the townhouse. Her financial affidavit opined that the value of the townhouse was $595,000. When it set forth the division of marital assets in the final judgment, the trial court assigned a value of $912,000 to the townhouse.
The trial court's valuation of marital assets must be supported by competent, substantial evidence. § 61.075(3), Fla. Stat. (2005). An owner of property is generally qualified to testify about the value of his own property. See Beaty v. Gribble, 652 So.2d 1156, 1158 (Fla. 2d DCA 1995). However, based on the unique facts in the present case, the record does not contain competent, substantial evidence to support the value the trial court assigned to the townhouse as discussed above. The trial court's finding regarding the value of this real property is reversed. On remand the trial court shall conduct an evidentiary hearing, and the parties shall be given the opportunity to present testimony and evidence concerning the value of the townhouse on the date of valuation established by the trial court.
When determining the value of marital assets, the trial court has discretion to establish the date of valuation. In the present case, the parties did not enter into a separation agreement; therefore, the date of the filing of the petition for dissolution of marriage (April 11, 2001) would generally be used. However, the trial court in its discretion may usé the "date or dates as the judge determines is just and equitable under the circumstances." § 61.075(6). The final judgment states that the assets and liabilities were valued as of the date of the final hearing, December 15, 2005. The trial court indi cated that this date was selected because the parties had attempted reconciliation and the Former Husband had purchased the townhouse and a 2004 BMW subsequent to the filing of the petition. There is no evidence that the trial court abused its discretion when it selected this date for the valuation of the townhouse.
The second asset that skews the equitable distribution plan is the previously referenced 2004 BMW. Use of the selected valuation date in relation to the vehicle, identified in the final judgment as an asset of the Former Wife, resulted in an abuse of discretion by the trial court. The Former Wife correctly asserts that including the vehicle valued at $23,500 in the equitable distribution scheme was improper because on December 15, 2005, the vehicle was no longer in her possession. The Former Wife testified that she was forced to sell the vehicle approximately two weeks prior to trial for $23,500 because the Former Husband had not been making child support or alimony payments and she had no other source of income.
The Former Wife cites to Plichta v. Plichta, 899 So.2d 1283 (Fla. 2d DCA 2005), in support of her argument that marital assets depleted during dissolution proceedings may not be included in the equitable distribution scheme of a final judgment unless marital waste is proven. In Plichta, this court reversed the trial court's award of two IRA accounts to the husband because he had liquidated these accounts during the pendency of the dissolution proceedings. This court concluded that these depleted marital assets should not have been included in the equitable distribution scheme because the husband had used these marital assets to pay for his support, living expenses, some litigation costs, and no misconduct was asserted. Plichta, 899 So.2d at 1286.
In the present case the Former Wife testified that she had no way to pay her bills, and "they started cutting off the credit cards [she had] been living on." She used the money to pay bills, to rent a car, and "the rest" was placed in a bank account. The parties stipulated at trial that as of December 15, 2005, the Former Husband owed $39,117.46 in child support and alimony arrearages. There was no evidence that the Former Wife wrongfully depleted marital assets when she sold the vehicle. The trial court abused its discretion when it included the value of this depleted asset in those assets awarded to the Former Wife. See Segall v. Segall, 708 So.2d 983, 986 (Fla. 4th DCA 1998); Cooper v. Cooper, 639 So.2d 153, 155 (Fla. 2d DCA 1994).
Accordingly, we reverse the portion of the final judgment distributing the marital assets of the parties. On remand the trial court shall reconsider the equitable distribution plan and shall conduct an evidentia-ry hearing to determine the value of the Treasure Island townhouse. If the trial court again concludes that December 15, 2005, is the proper date of valuation for the 2004 BMW, it shall not include the vehicle in the assets of the Former Wife. Further, upon completion of the new distribution plan, if the trial court determines that the redistribution of assets results in an inequity to either party, it may revisit the alimony issue. In all other respects, the second amended final judgment is affirmed.
Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded with directions.
THREADGILL, EDWARD F" Senior Judge, Concurs.
ALTENBERND, J., Concurs with opinion.