Case Name: THRIVENT FINANCIAL FOR LUTHERANS, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Lucia E. ANDRONESCU, fka Lucia E. Anderson, Defendant-cross-defendant-Appellee, v. Johanna M. Anderson, Defendant-cross-claimant-Appellant
Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 2013-02-04
Citations: 506 F. App'x 667
Docket Number: No. 11-35437
Parties: THRIVENT FINANCIAL FOR LUTHERANS, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Lucia E. ANDRONESCU, fka Lucia E. Anderson, Defendant-cross-defendant-Appellee, v. Johanna M. Anderson, Defendant-cross-claimant-Appellant.
Judges: Before: SILVERMAN and MURGUIA, Circuit Judges, and HALL, District Judge.
Reporter: West's Federal Appendix
Volume: 506
Pages: 667–667

Head Matter:
THRIVENT FINANCIAL FOR LUTHERANS, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Lucia E. ANDRONESCU, fka Lucia E. Anderson, Defendant-cross-defendant-Appellee, v. Johanna M. Anderson, Defendant-cross-claimant-Appellant.
No. 11-35437.
United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit.
Submitted June 5, 2012.
Filed Feb. 4, 2013.
Frederick Matthew Ralph, Esquire, Dorsey & Whitney, LLP, Minneapolis, MN, Gary M. Zadick, Ugrin Alexander Zadick & Higgins, PC, Great Falls, MT, for Plaintiff-Appellee.
Roberta Anner-Hughes, Anner-Hughes Law Offices, Billings, MT, for Defendant-cross-claimanfc-Appellant.
Before: SILVERMAN and MURGUIA, Circuit Judges, and HALL, District Judge.
The panel unanimously concludes this case is suitable for decision without oral argument. See Fed. R.App. P. 34(a)(2).
The Honorable Janet C. Hall, District Judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, sitting by designation.

Opinion:
MEMORANDUM
In a dispute over who is the proper beneficiary of Brent Anderson's life insurance policy, the district court granted judgment on the pleadings in favor of Lucia Androneseu — Anderson's ex-wife — because it found that MontCode Ann. § 72-2-814, which revokes, upon divorce, the designation of a spouse as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy, did not apply retroactively.
We certified the question to the Montana Supreme Court and now reverse because the Montana Supreme Court has ruled that MontCode. Ann. § 72-2-814 operates at the time of the insured's death and revoked Andronescu's status as a beneficiary of Anderson's policy. Thrivent Fin. for Lutherans v. Androneseu, No. OP 12-0408, 2013 MT 13, 300 P.3d 117, 2013 WL 227954 (Jan. 22, 2013).
REVERSED.
This disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent except as provided by 9th Cir. R. 36-3.