Corder v. Corder

Opinion

BAXTER, J.

In a consolidated wrongful death action, one defendant settled with the decedent’s wife and his adult daughter for an unapportioned lump sum of $1.1 million, and the two nonsettling defendants ultimately prevailed at trial. At a subsequent court proceeding, the wife and the daughter offered evidence pertaining to the allocation of the settlement proceeds. Based on testimony from third party witnesses claiming the decedent was unhappy in his marriage and intended to get a divorce, the trial court found the marriage was “on the verge of ending,” even though there was no…