First Colony Life Insurance v. Gerdes

INTRODUCTION

This is an interpleader action brought by First Colony Life Insurance Company (First Colony) to determine the rightful beneficiary of a life insurance policy issued to Thomas A. Smith (Smith) in the amount of $100,000. The two groups of defendants that First Colony interpleaded were Smith’s daughters from his first marriage and Smith’s stepchildren from his second marriage.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

Smith’s first marriage produced two children, Laura Albers and Julie Smith. After his divorce from his first wife, Smith married Rita Gerdes, who had two children from a previous marriage,…