Woodson v. Califano

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

STERLING, District Judge.

This suit is before the Court on an appeal from the decision of the Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare (Secretary) denying Plaintiff’s application for widow’s benefits. Plaintiff lived with and ceremonially married her now deceased husband, Russell Woodson (Woodson). Plaintiff, after Woodson’s death, sought widow’s benefits. However, unknown to the Plaintiff, Woodson had a prior marriage to Ethyl Hurd Woodson Stephens (Ethyl Hurd) which was never dissolved. Ethyl Hurd had applied for and received mother’s benefits (although the child was…