New York Court of Appeals, 1945

Shapiro v. Equitable Life Assurance Society of United States

Shapiro v. Equitable Life Assurance Society of United States
New York Court of Appeals · Decided April 12, 1945
61 N.E.2d 745; 294 N.Y. 743; 1945 N.Y. LEXIS 943 (North Eastern Reporter, Second Series)

Shapiro v. Equitable Life Assurance Society of United States

Opinion of the Court

Order affirmed, with costs. Question certified answered in the negative. No opinion.

Concur: Lehman, Ch. J., Loughran, Desmond and Thacher, JJ. Lewis and Conway, JJ., dissent on the ground that the plaintiff who was serving a life sentence was “ civilly dead ” and did not have the legal capacity to sue. (Penal Law, § 511; Matter of Pallas, 291 N. Y. 692; Matter of Lindewall, 287 N. Y. 347; Green v. State of New York, 278 N. Y. 15; Avery v. Everett, 110 N. Y. 317.) Taking no part: Dye, J.

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