Thrivent Financial for Lutherans v. Andronescu

MEMORANDUM ***

In a dispute over who is the proper beneficiary of Brent Anderson’s life insurance policy, the district court granted judgment on the pleadings in favor of Lucia Androneseu — Anderson’s ex-wife — because it found that MontCode Ann. § 72-2-814, which revokes, upon divorce, the designation of a spouse as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy, did not apply retroactively.

We certified the question to the Montana Supreme Court and now reverse because the Montana Supreme Court has ruled that MontCode. Ann. § 72-2-814 operates at the time of the insured’s death and revoked…