Metropolitan Life Insurance v. Barlow

ORDER DENYING PLAINTIFF MET-LIFE’S AND DEFENDANT BARLOW’S MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT AND GRANTING DEFENDANT WHEELER’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

HACKETT, District Judge.

Sixteen years before his death, Lawrence J. Larson named his wife Diana J. Larson (a/k/a Diana J. Barlow) beneficiary on his ERISA life insurance plan. Shortly after naming Diana J. Larson his beneficiary, he and his then beneficiary wife divorced. As part of the divorce decree, Diana J. Larson waived all interest to and in his life insurance plan, but he never changed the beneficiary designation on the life insurance…