Marilyn L. Wilson v. the City of Providence, by and through its Treasurer, James J. Lombardi

Summary

The Rhode Island Supreme Court affirmed the Superior Court’s summary‑judgment ruling that Diane Wilson, not Marilyn Wilson, is the surviving spouse entitled to the statutory survivor pension benefit. The Court held that the plain and ordinary meanings of “surviving spouse” and “dependent spouse” refer to the person married to the decedent at death, that the benefit is a distinct statutory entitlement, and that a property‑settlement agreement that was not merged into the divorce judgment cannot assign that benefit.