Herring v. Campbell

In this ERISA benefits case, the plan administrator (Appellant) appealed the district court's judgment that a deceased plan participant's stepsons, rather than his siblings, were entitled to the deceased's benefits. Appellant interpreted the term "children" as used in the plan to mean biological or legally adopted children. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed, holding that the district court erred when it set aside Appellant's decision and granted judgment for the deceased's stepchildren, as (1) Appellant's interpretation of the term "children" was legally correct; and (2) nothing in the plan or ERISA required Appellant to incorporate the concept of equitable adoption into the plan definition of "children." View "Herring v. Campbell" on Justia Law