Zobrist v. Bennison
Zobrist v. Bennison
Opinion of the Court
Appellant/cross-appellee Zobrist is the widow of Stephen J. Zobrist, who was formerly married to appellee/cross-appellant Bennison and was the father of her three children. The divorce decree required Mr. Zobrist to designate his children as beneficiaries of two
In Case No. S97A0243, Zobrist contends the trial court erred in allowing an action against her personally for the proceeds of the policy in which she was named beneficiary; in ruling that the insurance policies at question were subject to the terms of the divorce decree; and in impressing a constructive trust on Zobrist’s house. In the cross-appeal, Case No. S97X0244, Bennison complains of the trial court’s application of principles of estoppel and of the direction of a verdict for Zobrist on the issue of breach of fiduciary duty.
1. Zobrist’s first two contentions, that suit should not have been permitted against her personally for the proceeds of the policy which named her as beneficiary, and that the divorce decree had no effect
In Reeves [v. Reeves, 236 Ga. 209 (223 SE2d 112) (1976)], we held that where it is provided in a separation agreement incorporated into a divorce decree that the minor children of the parties are to be named beneficiaries of certain amounts of life insurance, or certain life insurance policies, the minors acquire a vested interest in the proceeds of such policies. We hold today that where a policy of life insurance replaces a policy or amount specified in such a separation agreement, the minors’ interest in the prior policy applies to the replacement policy.
In Curtis, this Court permitted a suit against the beneficiary of a policy which replaced a policy which a divorce decree required the insured to maintain for the benefit of a child. Here, too, the defendant is the beneficiary of a policy which was obtained as a replacement for a policy the insured was required to maintain for the benefit of his children. Although the circumstances of the replacement of the policies here were slightly different than those in Curtis, there is no question that the policies involved here were replacements: Mr. Zobrist exercised a right to convert his coverage under a group policy into individual policies. In the cases relied upon by Zobrist (Weiner v. Goldberg, 251 Ga. 470 (306 SE2d 660) (1983); Brooks v. Jones, 227 Ga. 566 (181 SE2d 861) (1971); and Larson v. Larson, 226 Ga. 209 (173 SE2d 700) (1970)), the policies referred to in the divorce decrees were canceled or had lapsed and were not directly replaced. That distinction robs those cases of effect in this appeal.
2. In attacking the imposition of a constructive trust against her house, Zobrist relies on Weiner v. Goldberg, supra, but that case is distinguishable from this for the same reasons stated in that case for distinguishing it from Curtis, supra: this case involves a policy which specifically replaced the policy which the decree required Mr. Zobrist to maintain with the children as beneficiaries, while Weiner involved a lapsed policy and a subsequent unconnected policy.
“ An implied trust results from the fact that one person’s money has been invested in land and the conveyance taken in the name of another.’ [Cit.]” Wells v. Wells, 216 Ga. 384, 386 (116 SE2d 586) (1960). In its grant of partial summary judgment to Bennison, the trial court concluded that the money used to pay down Zobrist’s mortgage actually belonged to Bennison’s children. That conclusion, applied to the principle stated above, authorized the imposition of the trust.
“Waivers or estoppels [are] not ordinarily . . . imputable against infants, except an estoppel in pais based on fraud and deceit by an infant who has reached an age of discretion when fraud can be imputed against him [Cits.]. . . .” Brown v. Anderson, 186 Ga. 220 (197 SE 761) (1938). There is no contention in this case that Bennison’s children, assuming they have reached an age when fraud can be imputed against them, have exhibited any fraudulent intent. Indeed, the children have been entirely passive actors in this matter. The estoppel applied by the trial court was based on the conduct of others, specifically their mother and an appointed guardian ad litem, and the trial court’s imputation of estoppel against the children was based on unfairness to Zobrist, not on fraud practiced by either Bennison or the appointed guardian ad litem. Recognizing the harshness of the rule as it applies to Zobrist, we conclude nonetheless that there is nothing in the record of this case which justifies the equally harsh result of applying estoppel against Bermison’s children. Accordingly, we reverse so much of the trial court’s order as applies an estoppel against the children and direct that the judgment be modified to include within Zobrist’s liability the sums she expended for her own benefit and for the payment of estate expenses.
4. Finally, Bennison complains of the trial court’s direction of a verdict against her on her claim against Zobrist for breach of fiduciary duty. Bennison’s argument is based on what she perceives as a conflict in the evidence regarding Zobrist’s reliance on legal counsel in her decision to seek the insurance proceeds as individual beneficiary and as executor of her husband’s estate. Our review of the record, persuades us that the trial court was correct.
Judgment affirmed in Case No. S97A0243; affirmed in part, and reversed in part in Case No. S97X0244.
Dissenting Opinion
dissenting.
I would reverse the trial court’s decision in the direct appeal because the Zobrists’ divorce decree did not cover the two life insurance policies at issue in this action.
The divorce decree provided:
Husband shall designate, irrevocably, the parties’ minor children as beneficiaries of the life insurance benefits currently available to husband through his employer. The parties recognize and acknowledge that the death benefits available under said insurance plan may fluctuate, depending upon husband’s income, from his employer; however, husband shall not voluntarily cause the amount of said coverage to be reduced.
At the time of the divorce, Mr. Zobrist was covered by two group life insurance policies that his employer provided. When his employer terminated his employment, it no longer provided this insurance to him and he exercised his right to obtain coverage under new policies providing individual whole life coverage. The policies were not life insurance benefits “available to husband through his employer” and were significantly different from the employer’s group insurance. Additionally, Mr. Zobrist paid substantially higher premiums for these new policies. And, contrary to the majority’s assertions, the policies were not replacement policies as in Curtis v. Curtis
Because Mr. Zobrist’s employer canceled his group insurance coverage when his employment ended, he did not voluntarily cause the reduction in his benefits, and the divorce decree did not require him to purchase a new policy to replace the insurance benefits provided through his employer, I conclude that the new life insurance policies were not subject to the terms of the divorce decree. Therefore, the beneficiaries named in these policies were entitled to the life insurance benefits.
I am authorized to state that Justice Carley and Justice Hines join in this dissent.
243 Ga. 611 (255 SE2d 693) (1979).
See Larson v. Larson, 226 Ga. 209 (173 SE2d 700) (1970).
Reference
- Full Case Name
- ZOBRIST v. BENNISON; And Vice Versa
- Cited By
- 7 cases
- Status
- Published