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Florida Unequal Division of Assets

Florida divorce: The gift presumption in equitable distribution

Florida divorce: The gift presumption in equitable distribution

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Divorce

An unequal division of martial assets and debts in a Florida divorce must be supported by certain findings made by a judge. When a party claims he or she contributed non-marital funds to a marital asset, the burden is on that party to prove the contribution was not a gift to the other spouse. This was an issue in the case Chatten v. Chatten, 4D21-694 (Fla. 4th DCA December 22, 2021).

Unequal distribution of marital assets and debts in Florida divorce must be justified

Unequal distribution of marital assets and debts in Florida divorce must be justified

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Divorce

Equitable distribution in a Florida divorce is governed by Fla. Stat. 61.075. which states in pertinent part: “the court shall set apart to each spouse that spouse’s nonmarital assets and liabilities, and in distributing the marital assets and liabilities between the parties, the court must begin with the premise that the distribution should be equal, unless there is a justification for an unequal distribution based on all relevant factors [. . .]”. In the case Legere v. Legere, 1D19-3324 (Fla. 1st DCA October 7, 2020), the trial court entered a final judgment which awarded more equity in the marital estate to the former wife than to the husband.