Source: https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/347/334/
Timestamp: 2019-04-23 02:48:58+00:00

Document:
Otis and Julia Thompson were married in 1921, and lived together as husband and wife until 1925, when Otis deserted her. They were never divorced, but they never lived together again, and he never contributed anything to her support or that of their two children, nor did she ever seek to have him do so. Otis "married" another woman in 1929. In 1940, Julia "married" another man, and thereafter lived and held herself out as the latter's wife. She was divorced from him in 1949. Shortly before Otis' death, he asked Julia to "take him back," but she refused, having no intention of ever again living with him and resuming the relationship of husband and wife.
Held: at the time of Otis' death in 1951, Julia was not his "widow" within the meaning of the Longshoremen's and Harbor Workers' Act, 33 U.S. C. § 902 (16), and was not entitled under the Act to compensation for his death. Pp. 347 U. S. 335-337.
(a) Since, at the time of the decedent's death, Julia was not living apart from him "by reason of his desertion," she was not his "widow" within the scope of the provision. P. 347 U. S. 336.
(b) By her purported remarriage, Julia severed the bond which was the basis of her right to claim a death benefit as the decedent's statutory dependent. P. 347 U. S. 337.
On June 15, 1951, Otis Thompson died from injuries suffered while loading a ship for his employer. Two women sought a death benefit under the Longshoremen's and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act, each claiming to be his "widow." The Deputy Commissioner denied both claims, that of one woman on the ground that she was not the lawful wife of the decedent, and that of the other because, at the time of Otis' death, she was living apart from him not "by reason of his desertion," 33 U.S.C. § 902(16). On a review of the latter dismissal, the District Court sustained the Deputy Commissioner's order, and the Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed. 205 F.2d 527. In doing so, that court rejected contrary decisions of the Courts of Appeals for the Second and Ninth Circuits, Associated Operating Co. v. Lowe, 138 F.2d 916, Moore Dry Dock Co. v. Pillsbury, 169 F.2d 988. We granted certiorari to resolve this conflict. 346 U.S. 921.
The Deputy Commissioner made these findings. Otis and Julia Thompson were married in 1921, and lived together as husband and wife until November, 1925, when Otis deserted her. They never lived together again, and he never contributed anything to the support of Julia or their two children, nor did she ever endeavor to secure such support. Meanwhile, Otis had taken up with one Sallie Williams, and they went through a marriage ceremony in 1929. Julia, in turn, found another mate, one Jimmy Fuller, whom she "married" in 1940. Thereafter she was known as Julia Fuller. She was formally divorced from Fuller in 1949. Shortly before Otis' death, he asked Julia to "take him back," but she refused, having no intention of ever again living with him and resuming the relationship of husband and wife.
"The term 'widow' includes only the decedent's wife living with or dependent for support upon him at the time of his death, or living apart for justifiable cause or by reason of his desertion at such time,"
33 U.S.C. § 902(16). We agree with the court below that, since she was not at the time of her husband's death living apart from him "by reason of his desertion," she was not a "widow" within the scope of this provision. * Whatever may have been the situation prior to her "marriage" to Jimmy Fuller in 1940, it is clear that, after that date, she lived as the wife of Jimmy Fuller, held herself out as his wife, and had severed all meaningful relationship with the decedent.
and the decedent subsisting at the time of the latter's death, which, for present purposes, means that she must continue to live as the deserted wife of the latter. That nexus is wholly absent here. Julia herself, by her purported remarriage, severed the bond which was the basis of her right to claim a death benefit as Otis' statutory dependent. The very practical considerations of this Compensation Act should not be subordinated to the empty abstraction that, once a wife has been deserted, she always remains a deserted wife, no matter what -- the "no matter what" in this case being the wife's conscious choice to terminate her prior conjugal relationship by embarking upon another permanent relationship.
* It was not contended before us that, in the circumstances of this case, the phrase "for justifiable cause" has a different reach than the phrase "by reason of his desertion."
the contrary. [Footnote 2] I agree with the Second and Ninth Circuits.
the wife's living apart from her husband was either "justifiable" or by reason of his "desertion." That the Court treats its holding as one of statutory construction cannot obscure the actual effect of what it is doing. The Court is taking from the deputy commissioners their congressionally granted power to determine from all the facts and circumstances whether a widow is entitled to compensation.
I would reverse with directions to remand the cause to the Deputy Commissioner to determine, free from judicial compulsion, whether, as a fact, petitioner's living apart was for "justifiable cause" or on account of her husband's "desertion." If either of these issues should be decided in favor of the petitioner, she is entitled to compensation.
Ryan Stevedoring Co. v. Henderson, 138 F.2d 348; American Mutual Liability Ins. Co. v. Henderson, 141 F.2d 813.
Associated Operating Co. v. Lowe, 138 F.2d 916, aff'g 52 F.Supp. 550; Moore Dry Dock Co. v. Pillsbury, 169 F.2d 988.
Voehl v. Indemnity Ins. Co., 288 U. S. 162, 288 U. S. 166; Parker v. Motor Boat Sales, Inc., 314 U. S. 244, 314 U. S. 246; O'Leary v. Brown-Pacific-Maxon, Inc., 340 U. S. 504, 340 U. S. 507-508.

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