United States Ninth Circuit

District court's determination as to a designated beneficiary in a dispute between three claimants to determine the proper beneficiary of an ERISA-governed life insurance policy held by a decedent is reversed where the decedent made an invalid beneficiary designation on his beneficiary designation form.

Appellate Information

• Argued 06/15/2005
• Decided 02/02/2006
• Published 02/02/2006

Judges

• BYBEE, Circuit Judge:, Before: TALLMAN, BYBEE, and BEA, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Ninth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• Richard M. Waugh, Richard M. Waugh, Ltd., Phoenix, AZ, for defendant-appellant Eileen Marrero., Candess J. Hunter and Isabel M. Humphrey, Phoenix, AZ, for defendant-appellee/cross-appellant Anita Pietrofitta., David L. Haga and Jennifer R. Houde, Gallagher & Kennedy, P.A., Phoenix, AZ, for defendant-appellee estate of Scott Parker., Kevin J. Parker, Snell & Wilmer, Phoenix, AZ, for defendant-appellee Zachary Dry.