Court Opinion

ID: 9759587
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 00:20:32.109993+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:29:02.982804
License: Public Domain

BECK, J.,
Dissenting.
¶ 1 I respectfully dissent. I do not agree with the majority that the federal district court “clearly went beyond the scope of survivorship benefits and addressed waiver in its totality.” In my view the federal district court order in question, and the order affirming it in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, addressed only the validity of Wife’s waiver with respect to survivor benefits. Although the district court did not explicitly state that its order was limited in this manner, it is clear that Wife sought to negate her waiver by relying only on 29 U.S.C. § 1055(c)(2)(A)(iii). Further, in rendering a decision on the matter, the federal district court deemed Wife’s waiver invalid based solely on noncompliance with § 1055(c)(2)(A)(iii), which addresses only survivor benefits. As a result, Wife was afforded relief in her federal action only to the extent of such benefits.
*762¶ 2 This court’s opinion in Sabad v. Fessenden, 825 A.2d 682 (Pa.Super.2003), confirms the limited effect of § 1055(c)(2)(A)(iii) on state domestic relations law, holding that the waiver restrictions announced therein are limited to survivor benefits alone. In my opinion the trial court properly interpreted the nature and effect of the federal courts’ rulings and thereafter correctly applied the holding in Sabad to the facts of this case.
¶ 3 I would affirm the trial court.8

. Based on our standard of review, I would find no error in the trial court's award of attorney's fees.