In the Matter of Dennis Alan Howell

RUSH, Chief Justice.

Indiana law exempts life insurance policies from debtors’ bankruptcy estates when the named beneficiary is “the spouse, children, or any relative dependent upon” the debtor. That language undisputedly requires that relatives other than spouses and children must be dependent on the debtor for the exemption to apply, but whether that requirement also applies to spouses and children is less clear. We accepted a certified question asking us to construe whether the “dependent upon” phrase modifies only “any relative,” or also “spouse” and “children.” The statutory language and…