Metropolitan Life Insurance Company v. Johnson

Facts

Jimmie Johnson was an employee of General Electric (“GE”) from 1968 until his death on February 15, 1999. During his employment, he was a participant in the GE Life, Disability and Medical Plan (the “Plan”), an employee welfare benefit plan governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”). On October 8, 1968, Johnson designated his then-wife Mildred Johnson as sole beneficiary of the Plan. Several years later, Jimmie and Mildred divorced. On approximately December 27, 1996, Johnson completed a beneficiary designation form, naming LaShanda Smith, Leonard Smith and Carolyn Hall (jointly referred to as “SS & H”) as co-beneficiaries. When Johnson died on February 15, 1999, GE informed Mildred that she was the beneficiary of his life insurance policy, and she filed a beneficiary claim. Subsequently, on March 1, 1999, LaShanda Smith sent GE a letter stating that she was aware that her father had made her “the only primary beneficiary to receive his life insurance benefits” and inquiring how to receive those proceeds. In response to the multiple claims to the proceeds of Johnson’s life insurance policy, MetLife requested the court to determine who was properly entitled to the proceeds.