Case Name: William Gerald DOBBINS, Appellant, v. Helen L. DOBBINS, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1978-06-06
Citations: 359 So. 2d 48
Docket Number: No. HH-480
Parties: William Gerald DOBBINS, Appellant, v. Helen L. DOBBINS, Appellee.
Judges: MILLS, Acting C. J., and ERVIN, J., concur
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 359
Pages: 48–50

Head Matter:
William Gerald DOBBINS, Appellant, v. Helen L. DOBBINS, Appellee.
No. HH-480.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District.
June 6, 1978.
Peter J. Kellogg of Grissett, Humphries & Neder, Jacksonville, for appellant.
Charles E. Waite of Scruby, Yonge, Cobb & Waite, Orange Park, for appellee.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
Having considered the briefs and arguments of counsel, we conclude the lower court erred in awarding to the wife as lump sum alimony the marital home jointly owned by the parties during the marriage, as well as certain furnishings, fixtures and equipment located therein. The wife neither pled nor presented substantial competent evidence of her entitlement for such award. Jones v. Jones, 330 So.2d 536 (Fla. 1st DCA 1976); Suhor v. Suhor, 341 So.2d 277 (Fla. 1st DCA 1977); Fuchs v. Fuchs, 356 So.2d 1355 (Fla. 1st DCA 1978). The wife's petition for dissolution requested only exclusive use and possession of the marital home and the furniture and furnishings within it. As a result the husband was without notice of any claim for lump sum alimony and was prejudiced in his ability to prepare adequately a defense for the award entered. Cf. Versen v. Versen, 347 So.2d 1047 (Fla. 4th DCA 1977). The order is otherwise affirmed and the cause remanded for further proceedings not inconsistent with this opinion.
MILLS, Acting C. J., and ERVIN, J., concur
BOOTH, J., dissents in part and concurs in part.