decree of dissolution of marriage

Donna Rae Egelhoff was married to David A. Egelhoff. Mr. Egelhoff was employed by the Boeing Company, which provided him with a life insurance policy and a pension plan. Both plans were governed by ERISA, and Mr. Egelhoff designated his wife as the beneficiary under both. In April 1994, the Egelhoffs divorced. Just over two months later, Mr. Egelhoff died intestate following an automobile accident. At that time, Mrs. Egelhoff remained the listed beneficiary under both the life insurance policy and the pension plan. The life insurance proceeds, totaling $46,000, were paid to her. Respondents Samantha and David Egelhoff, Mr. Egelhoff's children by a previous marriage, are his statutory heirs under state law. They sued petitioner in Washington state court to recover the life insurance proceeds. In a separate action, respondents also sued to recover the pension plan benefits. The trial courts, concluding that both the insurance policy and the pension plan "should be administered in accordance" with ERISA, granted summary judgment to petitioner in both cases. The Washington Court of Appeals consolidated the cases and reversed. Applying the statute, it held that respondents were entitled to the proceeds of both the insurance policy and the pension plan. The Supreme Court of Washington affirmed. Courts have disagreed about whether statutes like that of Washington are pre-empted by ERISA. The Supreme Court granted certiorari to resolve the conflict.

The parties were married in 1937 and lived together in New York until 1942 when the husband left the wife. There was no issue of the marriage. In 1943 she brought an action against him for a separation. He entered a general appearance. The court, finding that he had abandoned her, granted her a decree of separation and awarded her $180 per month as permanent alimony. In January 1944 he went to Nevada where in 1945 he instituted an action for divorce. She was notified of the action by constructive service but entered no appearance in it. In May, 1945, the Nevada court, finding that petitioner had been a bona fide resident of Nevada since January 30, 1944, granted him an absolute divorce on the ground of three years continual separation, without cohabitation. The Nevada decree made no provision for alimony, though the Nevada court had been advised of the New York decree. Prior to that time petitioner had made payments of alimony under the New York decree. After entry of the Nevada decree he ceased paying. Thereupon respondent sued in New York for a supplementary judgment for the amount of the arrears. Petitioner appeared in the action and moved to eliminate the alimony provisions of the separation decree by reason of the Nevada decree. The Supreme Court denied the motion and granted respondent judgment for the arrears. The judgment was affirmed by the Appellate Division and then by the Court of Appeals. This case is here on certiorari to the Court of Appeals of New York.

Anne P. Graham and Dennis J. Graham were married on August 5, 1968, in Denver, Colorado. Throughout the six-year marriage Anne worked full-time as an airline stewardess and contributed seventy percent of the financial support used for family expenses and Dennis's education. Dennis attended school for approximately three and one-half years of the marriage and obtained a bachelor of science degree in engineering physics and a master’s degree in business administration at the University of Colorado. The couple jointly managed an apartment house and Anne performed the majority of the housework and cooking. No children were born during the marriage and no marital assets were accumulated. On February 4, 1974, the parties jointly filed a petition for dissolution in the Boulder County District Court. Anne did not make a claim for maintenance or attorney fees. After a hearing on October 24, 1974, the trial court found that the education obtained by Dennis during the marriage was jointly-owned property. The court evaluated the future earnings value of the M.B.A. at $82,836 and awarded Anne $33,134 payable in monthly installments of $100. The Colorado Court of Appeals reviewed the trial court's decision in Graham v. Graham, 38 Colo. App. 130, 555 P.2d 527 and reversed it. The Supreme Court of Colorado then took up the case.