Newburgh v. Arrigo

The major question presented in this case is whether Joan Newburgh is entitled to receive pecuniary benefits under the *549Wrongful Death Act, N.J.S.A. 2A:31-1 et seq., as the surviving spouse of Melvin Newburgh, who lost his life in an automobile accident. Joan’s legal status as the wife — now the surviving widow — of Melvin is challenged by Steven, who is Melvin’s son of a prior marriage. Steven claims that Joan, having procured an allegedly invalid Mexican divorce almost 20 years ago from her first husband, was not legally married to his father. Thus, the core issue in the case is the validity…