Supreme Court of the United States
Jacqueline Hillman, Petitioner v. Judy A. Maretta.
June 3, 2013133 S. Ct. 1943
Summary
The Court held that the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance Act (FEGLIA) pre-empts a Virginia statute that makes a former spouse liable to the actual beneficiary for insurance proceeds when the former spouse was named beneficiary but divorced the insured. The Court found that state law creating a post-payment cause of action to recover benefits frustrates FEGLIA's objective to ensure proceeds are paid to and remain with the designated beneficiary.