Opinion ID: 1688079
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Special Equity

Text: The term special equity was judicially created to avoid the harshness of the statutory rule that absolutely prohibited alimony for an adulterous wife. See Heath v. Heath, 103 Fla. 1071, 138 So. 796 (1932). In its true sense, a special equity is a vested interest which a spouse acquires because of contribution of funds, property, or services made over and above the performance of normal marital duties. Eakin v. Eakin, 99 So.2d 854 (Fla. 1958). See, e.g., Ball v. Ball, 335 So.2d 5 (Fla. 1976) (property acquired with inherited funds of one spouse); Merrill v. Merrill, 357 So.2d 792 (Fla. 1st DCA 1978) (one spouse entered the marriage with possession of realty and personalty); and Green v. Green, 228 So.2d 112 (Fla. 3d DCA 1969) (one spouse contributed special labor toward accumulation of the other spouse's wealth). A special equity in property held as tenants by the entirety will not arise when the property is acquired from funds generated by a working spouse while the other spouse performed normal household and child-rearing responsibilities. Ball v. Ball ; accord Fiedler v. Fiedler, 375 So.2d 1119 (Fla. 2d DCA 1979). The vested property interest established by this type of special equity is not alimony. It is clearly distinguishable from the special equity finding used to justify lump sum alimony. This distinction is set forth in our opinion in Canakaris v. Canakaris, No. 54,124 (Fla. January 31, 1980), rendered simultaneously with this decision. When the court finds a true special equity, it should indicate that the party has a vested interest in the subject property. The award, once made, is permanent and not subject to modification.