Metropolitan Life Insurance Company v. Woodyard et al

Filing 29

ORDER re: Met Life's motion for interpleader relief 19 - It is hereby ORDERED that: 1. Sum of $57,909.74 Group Universal Life Benefits w/ interest if any shall be deposited by the Clrk of Ct into Registry of this court & as soon as the b usiness of his or her office allows Clrk of Ct shall deposit these funds into the interest-bearing CRIS admin by AO of US Cts as custodian per LR 67.1.; 2. Sum of money so invested in interest-bearing CRIS fund to remain on deposit until further orde r of this ct @ which time the funds & interest shall be retrieved by Clrk & redeposited into non-interest-bearing registry of ct for disposition per further order of ct.;l 3. Custodian shall deduct misc schedule fee for handling of those registr y funds... (see Para 3 for specifics).; 4. Defts compelled to litigate, adjust &/or settle amongh each other their respective & lawful entitlement to benefits payable under Alcatel-Lucent group life ins policy due as result of death of Willard J. Woo dyard or upon failure to do so Ct will settle & adjust claims... & determine to whom... benefits shall be pd.; 5. Metropolitan shall be wholly & completely discharged & absolved from any further liability...to each of parties hereto & any other claim ant... (see Para 5 for specifics).; 6. Metropolitan shall be dismissed from action w/ prejudice & w/out any further liability in connection w/ the Policy & Group Univeral Life Benefits du thereunder as result of death of Decedent.; 7. Defts restrain ed & enjoined from instituting any action or proceeding in any state in US against Met for recovery of Group Universal Life Benefits plus interest... ; 8. Metropolitan shall be awarded portion of its atty's fees & costs incurred in amt of $ 2,500 which shall be pd out of Group Universal Life Benefits deposited w/ Clrk of Ct.; 9. Metropolitan shall serve copy of this order on all parties w/in 7 days of receipt hereof. (See order for complete details.) Signed by Chief Judge Christopher C. Conner on 1/30/17. (ki)

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA
METROPOLITAN LIFE
INSURANCE COMPANY,
Plaintiff
v.
DANIELLE WOODYARD, et al.,
Defendants

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CIVIL ACTION NO. 1:16-CV-1601
(Chief Judge Conner)

ORDER
AND NOW, this 30th day of January, 2017, upon consideration of the
motion (Doc. 19) for interpleader relief by Metropolitan Life Insurance Company
(“Metropolitan”), and it appearing that all defendants are on notice of said motion,
(see Doc. 20-2), and that defendants Danielle Woodyard and the Estate of Willard J.
Woodyard concur in Metropolitan’s request for interpleader relief, (see Doc. 27),
and that defendant Todd Woodyard has neither pled nor otherwise defended in
this action, has not responded to Metropolitan’s request for concurrence or nonconcurrence in its motion, and is the subject of a separately-pending request for
entry of default, (see Docs. 26-27), and the court having reviewed and considered
Metropolitan’s motion and all materials submitted therewith, it is hereby
ORDERED that:
1.

The sum of $57,909.74 (the “Group Universal Life Benefits”), with
interest, if any, shall be deposited by the Clerk of Court into the
Registry of this Court and then, as soon as the business of his or her
office allows, the Clerk of Court shall deposit these funds into the
interest-bearing Court Registry Investment System (“C.R.I.S.”)
administered by the Administrative Office of the United States Courts
as Custodian, pursuant to Local Rule of Court 67.1.

2.

The sum of money so invested in the interest-bearing C.R.I.S. fund
shall remain on deposit until further order of this Court at which time
the funds, together with interest thereon, shall be retrieved by the
Clerk of Court and redeposited into the non-interest-bearing Registry
of the Court for disposition pursuant to further order of the Court.

3.

The Custodian shall deduct a miscellaneous schedule fee for the
handling of those registry funds invested in interest-bearing accounts,
as authorized by the Judicial Conference of the United States, of 10%
of the income earned on an account and any subsequent deposit of
new principal while invested in C.R.I.S.

4.

Defendants are compelled to litigate, adjust and/or settle among each
other their respective and lawful entitlement to the benefits payable
under the Alcatel-Lucent group life insurance policy (the “Policy”) due
as a result of the death of Willard J. Woodyard (“Decedent”) or upon
their failure to do so, this Court will settle and adjust the claims and
determine to whom the within Group Universal Life Benefits shall be
paid.

5.

Metropolitan shall be wholly and completely discharged and absolved
from any further liability, of whatsoever nature, to each of the parties
hereto and any other claimant to the Group Universal Life Benefits
under and pursuant to the Policy as a result of the death of Decedent.

6.

Metropolitan shall be dismissed from this action with prejudice and
without any further liability in connection with the Policy and the
Group Universal Life Benefits due thereunder as a result of the death
of Decedent.

7.

Defendants are restrained and enjoined from instituting any action or
proceeding in any state or United States court against Metropolitan for
recovery of the Group Universal Life Benefits, plus any applicable
interest, as a result of the death of Decedent.

8.

Metropolitan shall be awarded a portion of its attorneys’ fees and costs
incurred in the amount of $2,500.00, which shall be paid out of the
Group Universal Life Benefits deposited with the Clerk of Court.

9.

Metropolitan shall serve a copy of this order upon all parties within
seven (7) days of receipt thereof.
/S/ CHRISTOPHER C. CONNER
Christopher C. Conner, Chief Judge
United States District Court
Middle District of Pennsylvania