Death as Divorce for the Abandoned Spouse: Davis V. Combes and the Cautious and Gender-Sensitive Judiciary

Abstract

Davis v. Combes is a Seventh Circuit decision by Judge Diane Wood involving a decedent who surprises her surviving family by secretly transferring assets to her sister. This Essay suggests that the case offers an opportunity to think about alternatives to forced heirship in American law. It discusses the choice among three ways to disappoint or even cheat an abandoned spouse. These are: (1) Divorce, followed by a battle over assets and future earnings; (2) Death – where the decedent attempts to dis-inherit the surviving spouse; (3) Death – where there is no will or simply few assets, and where the abandoned spouse is surprised to learn that she or he has been removed as the beneficiary of the insurance policy. In sum, one can divorce, dis-inherit, or dis-insure, with the latter being the subject of the case under discussion. I argue that for reasons of gender equality or partnership, the three cases should be treated alike as much as possible.