Court Opinion

ID: 9775794
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 19:09:09.643035+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:32:30.768999
License: Public Domain

MILLER, Judge,
dissenting.
My interpretation of KRS 95.624(3)(e) requiring the payment of a pension “to the widow, while unmarried” is that the pension is terminated upon remarriage and not restored upon dissolution of the remarriage by divorce. The question before us is not whether the pension is terminated upon remarriage. The statute so provides. This no doubt is in contrast to many pensions which because of their nature are not terminated upon remarriage. We are here concerned with whether a pension can be restored or revived when a subsequent marriage is terminated by divorce. This problem is not addressed by the statute. There is no doubt that the legislature could have opted not to terminate pension payments upon remarriage; or to terminate payments, but cause their restoration in the event of termination of the remarriage. Since the statute provided for the former, but as we have heretofore stated, failed to address the latter, it is for us to decide whether termination of a remarriage by divorce entitles a recipient to restoration of payments. It is sufficient to say that we find no case for restoration of pension after a subsequent marriage is terminated by divorce. 60 Am.Jur.2d Pensions and Retirement Funds § 59 (1972). There are cases where annulment of a remarriage was held to entitle a widow to resumption of pension payments. I believe the historical distinction between annulment and divorce is sufficient to permit a resumption of pension after annulment, but deny payments after a remarriage is terminated by divorce. Cf. Annot. 85 A.L.R.2d 242 (1962). To allow such would create an impermissible stress upon the pension system. Had the legislature intended the pension system to bear this additional burden it could have easily so provided in the applicable statute.
For the foregoing reasons I would reverse the decision of the Henderson Circuit Court.