Sveen v. Melin
| Docket No. | Argument | Opinion | Vote | Author | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16-1432 | Mar 19, 2018 | Jun 11, 2018 | 8-1 | Kagan | OT 2017 |
Holding: The retroactive application of Minnesota"s revocation-on-divorce statute -- which automatically nullifies an ex-spouse"s beneficiary designation on a life-insurance policy or other will substitute -- does not violate the Constitution"s contracts clause.
Judgment: Reversed and remanded, 8-1, in an opinion by Justice Kagan on June 11, 2018. Justice Gorsuch filed a dissenting opinion.
SCOTUSblog Coverage
- The Annual: OT2017 in Review (First Mondays, July 9, 2018)
- OT2017 #29: "Average Joe" (First Mondays, June 18, 2018)
- Opinion analysis: Court rejects constitutional challenge to state law on insurance policies after divorce (Amy Howe, June 11, 2018)
- A "view" from the courtroom: Chipping away at the caseload (Mark Walsh, June 11, 2018)
- OT2017 #18: "Legal Faux Pas" (First Mondays, March 19, 2018)
- Argument analysis: Legal questions, practical concerns at play in post-divorce life insurance case (Amy Howe, March 19, 2018)
- Argument preview: Justices consider contracts clause and post-divorce life-insurance policies (Amy Howe, March 12, 2018)
- Justices release March calendar (Amy Howe, January 24, 2018)
- Court adds seven new cases to merits docket (Amy Howe, December 9, 2017)
- Petition of the day (Aurora Barnes, August 8, 2017)
| Date | Proceedings and Orders |
|---|---|
| 06/01/2017 | Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due July 3, 2017) |
| 06/05/2017 | Waiver of right of respondent Kaye Melin to respond filed. |
| 07/19/2017 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of September 25, 2017. |
| 08/01/2017 | Response Requested. (Due August 31, 2017) |
| 08/16/2017 | Order extending time to file response to petition to and including September 29, 2017. |
| 09/29/2017 | Brief of respondent Kaye Melin in opposition filed. |
| 10/06/2017 | Reply of petitioners Ashley Sveen, et al. filed. |
| 10/18/2017 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 11/3/2017. |
| 10/23/2017 | Rescheduled. |
| 11/20/2017 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 12/8/2017. |
| 12/08/2017 | Petition GRANTED. |
| 12/18/2017 | Letter from counsel for petitioners regarding case caption filed. |
| 01/16/2018 | Motion to dispense with printing the joint appendix filed by petitioners Ashley Sveen, et al. |
| 01/22/2018 | Motion to dispense with printing the joint appendix filed by petitioners GRANTED. |
| 01/22/2018 | Brief of petitioners Ashley Sveen, et al. filed. |
| 01/24/2018 | SET FOR ARGUMENT ON Monday, March 19, 2018 |
| 01/26/2018 | Brief amicus curiae of American College of Trust and Estate Counsel filed. |
| 02/07/2018 | CIRCULATED |
| 02/21/2018 | Record requested from the U.S.C.A. 8th Circuit. |
| 02/21/2018 | Brief of respondent Kaye Melin filed. (Distributed) |
| 02/27/2018 | Brief amicus curiae of Professor James W. Ely, Jr. filed. (Distributed) |
| 02/28/2018 | Brief amici curiae of The Women’s Law Project, et al. filed. (Distributed) |
| 03/05/2018 | Record received from the U.S.C.A. 8th Circuit. (1 Box) |
| 03/08/2018 | Reply of petitioners Ashley Sveen, et al. filed. (Distributed) |
| 03/19/2018 | Argued. For petitioners: Adam G. Unikowsky, Washington, D. C. For respondent: Shay Dvoretzky, Washington, D. C. |
| 06/11/2018 | Judgment REVERSED and case REMANDED. Kagan, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Roberts, C. J., and Kennedy, Thomas, Ginsburg, Breyer, Alito, and Sotomayor, JJ., joined. Gorsuch, J., filed a dissenting opinion. |
| 07/13/2018 | JUDGMENT ISSUED. |
| 08/21/2018 | The Record from the U.S.C.A. 8th C has been returned. |