Hillman v. Maretta
| Docket No. | Op. Below | Argument | Opinion | Vote | Author | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11-1221 | Va. S. Ct. | Apr 22, 2013 | Jun 3, 2013 | 9-0 | Sotomayor | OT 2012 |
Holding: The Federal Employees" Group Life Insurance Act (FEGLIA), which establishes a life insurance program for federal employees, allows an employee to designate a beneficiary to receive the proceeds of the policy when the employee dies. That law preempts a Virginia law that allows the family of a deceased employee to sue the designated beneficiary for the proceeds if the beneficiary happens to be the employee"s former spouse.
Judgment: Affirmed, 9-0, in an opinion by Justice Sotomayor on June 3, 2013. Justice Scalia joins the opinion except as to footnote 4. Justice Thomas and Justice Alito filed opinions concurring in the judgment.
SCOTUSblog Coverage
- Opinion analysis: States cant override federal employees life insurance designations (Tejinder Singh, June 3, 2013)
- Argument recap: Looking for the less wrong answer (Tejinder Singh, April 23, 2013)
- Argument preview: Divorce, death, and preemption (Tejinder Singh, April 21, 2013)
- Petition of the day (Matthew Bush, May 25, 2012)
| Date | Proceedings and Orders |
|---|---|
| 04/11/2012 | Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due May 14, 2012) |
| 04/18/2012 | Order extending time to file response to petition to and including May 31, 2012. |
| 05/18/2012 | Brief of respondent Judy A. Maretta in opposition filed. |
| 05/29/2012 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of June 14, 2012. |
| 05/29/2012 | Reply of petitioner Jacqueline Hillman filed. (Distributed) |
| 06/18/2012 | The Solicitor General is invited to file a brief in this case expressing the views of the United States. |
| 12/14/2012 | Brief amicus curiae of United States filed. |
| 12/14/2012 | Letter proposing a lodging of the government's group life insurance contract with Metropolitan Life Insurance Company received from the Solicitor General. |
| 12/26/2012 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of January 11, 2013. |
| 01/11/2013 | Petition GRANTED. |
| 02/11/2013 | SET FOR ARGUMENT ON MONDAY, April 22, 2013 |
| 02/22/2013 | Joint appendix filed. (Statement of costs filed) |
| 02/22/2013 | Brief of petitioner Jacqueline Hillman filed. (Distributed) |
| 03/01/2013 | CIRCULATED. |
| 03/07/2013 | Record received from Supreme Court of Virginia. (1 Box) |
| 03/25/2013 | Brief of respondent Judy A. Maretta filed (Reprinted). (Distributed) |
| 04/01/2013 | Brief amicus curiae of Association of Federal Health Organizations filed. (Distributed) |
| 04/01/2013 | Motion of the Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument filed. |
| 04/01/2013 | Brief amicus curiae of United States filed. (Distributed) |
| 04/12/2013 | Motion of the Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument GRANTED. |
| 04/15/2013 | Reply of petitioner Jacqueline Hillman filed. (Distributed) |
| 04/22/2013 | Argued. For petitioner: Daniel H. Ruttenberg, Vienna, Va. For respondent: Steffen N. Johnson, Washington, D. C.; and Elaine J. Goldenberg, Assistant to the Solicitor General, Department of Justice, Washington, D. C. (for United States, as amicus curiae.) |
| 06/03/2013 | Adjudged to be AFFIRMED. Sotomayor, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Roberts, C. J., and Kennedy, Ginsburg, Breyer, and Kagan, JJ., joined, and in which Scalia, J., joined as to all but footnote 4. Thomas, J., and Alito, J., filed opinions concurring in the judgment. |
| 07/05/2013 | MANDATE ISSUED. |
| 07/05/2013 | Record returned to Supreme Court of Virginia. |
Holding: The Federal Employees” Group Life Insurance Act (FEGLIA), which establishes a life insurance program for federal employees, allows an employee to designate a beneficiary to receive the proceeds of the policy when the employee dies. That law preempts a Virginia law that allows the family of a deceased employee to sue the designated beneficiary for the proceeds if the beneficiary happens to be the employee”s former spouse.
Judgment:”Affirmed, 9-0, in an opinion by Justice Sotomayor on June 3, 2013. Justice Scalia joins the opinion except as to footnote 4. Justice Thomas and Justice Alito filed opinions concurring in the judgment.