Gerald Joseph HERZOG, Appellant,
v.
Flora HERZOG, Appellee.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Third District.
*117 Prunty, Ross, DeLoach & Olsen, Miami, for appellant.
Turner, Hendrick, Guilford, Goldstein & McDonald and S. Alan Stanley, Coral Gables, for appellee.
Before PEARSON, HENDRY and NATHAN, JJ.
PER CURIAM.
This is an appeal by Gerald Joseph Herzog from those portions of a final judgment of dissolution of marriage in which permanent alimony and the home were awarded to Flora Herzog, the wife, and from an order taxing costs, awarding attorneys fees and denying the husband's petition for rehearing.
The husband contends that the trial court erred in (1) requiring him to pay lump sum alimony in the amount of $5,000 in addition to the monthly alimony payments; (2) conveying to the wife, the residence property owned by the parties by the entireties, and (3) awarding an attorneys fee of $5,000 for the services of the wife's attorney.
As to the first point, we initially note that the final judgment does not state whether the transfer of the husband's interest in the house is by way of special equity, lump sum alimony or for some other purpose. It appears from the record that Flora Herzog owned the house at the time of her marriage to Gerald Herzog. During the course of the marriage, Flora transferred the house into both names, allegedly because of fraudulent misrepresentations made by the husband. Flora later agreed to sell Gerald her one-half interest in the house for $10,000, and he proceeded to pay the agreed monthly payments up to a total of $4,700. Gerald subsequently became ill and advised Flora that he wanted to sell the house. She refused and instituted this suit for divorce.
Review of the record indicates that there is no evidence to justify the award of the home to the wife as lump *118 sum alimony[1] or as a special equity.[2] An ordinary conveyance to the entireties of one spouse's property is presumed a gift. Such a presumption is not easily overcome. Calligarich v. Calligarich, Fla.App. 1971,
As to the second point, the cases are legion that a trial judge has broad discretion in determining whether, what type, and in what amount, alimony will be awarded, and that his decision will not be disturbed by an appellate court unless an abuse of discretion is shown. Christianson v. Christianson, Fla.App. 1973,
As to the third point relating to attorneys fees, we find no clear abuse of discretion in the award of attorneys fees in this case. See Bosem v. Bosem, Fla. 1973,
It is so ordered.
ON REHEARING
PER CURIAM.
A petition for rehearing having been filed in this case by Flora Herzog, the appellee, and the court having taken into consideration the points raised in such petition, the opinion of this court is amended in the following respect:
Due to the fact that the appellee wife owned the marital residence at the time of her marriage to the appellant, and that the transfer of the house to their joint names occurred prior to the date of adoption of the 1968 Florida Constitution, we recede from our holding that the house is to be held as tenants in common based on the presumption of a gift. Rather, we hold that it is to be held as tenants in common since the appellant gave good and valuable consideration in keeping with the agreement between the parties.
The remaining points raised in the petition are without merit and will not be discussed. No useful purpose would be served by rehearing this cause. Accordingly, the petition for rehearing is denied.
It is so ordered.
NOTES
Notes
[1] See Yandell v. Yandell, Fla. 1949,
[2] See Hanzelik v. Hanzelik, Fla.App. 1974,
