Thrivent Financial for Lutherans v. Andronescu

¶1 We accepted the following certified question from the U.S. Comet of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which we have reformulated in accordance with M. R. App. P. 15(4) and our order of July 17, 2012:

¶2 Does § 72-2-814, MCA, apply to a life insurance policy owner’s designation of his spouse as the beneficiary, where the parties were later divorced prior to enactment of § 72-2-814, MCA, and the policyholder died after enactment of the statute ?

¶3 Our answer is “yes” because § 72-2-814, MCA, operates at the time of the insured’s death and applies to any divorce that took place during the…