- Amount
- $211,000 (court-ordered payment to our client)
- Counsel
- Interpleader Law
- Result for
- The insured's spouse, named in the change, our client
- Case
- Prudential Insurance Co. of America v. Vagotis
- Court
- U.S. District Court, District of Arizona
- Docket
- No. 2:17-cv-02761
- Decided
- November 13, 2017
- Issue
- A challenge to a late beneficiary change, resolved by consent judgment
Shortly before the insured died, his beneficiary designation was changed to name his spouse. His mother challenged the change, alleging undue influence and financial exploitation. The case reached federal court, where the insurer deposited the benefit and was discharged.
We represented the spouse. The claimants resolved the dispute by agreement about four months after the case was filed, and the court entered a consent judgment ordering the registry funds disbursed, with our client receiving the amount shown, plus accrued interest. No court ruled on the allegations.
What it shows. Once the insurer is out of the case, the competing claimants can often resolve a beneficiary challenge quickly and have the court order the payment.
Read the court's order
For a detailed legal summary of this decision, see interpleader.com's decisions library.
Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. This summary describes the court's ruling; it is not legal advice about any other case.
Back to all results · Interpleader lawsuits · Beneficiary disputes