Facts

Amy Stills was married to Michael Stills for 22 years. In 2013, she was diagnosed with a rare, virulent form of cancer that resulted in her death. Amy had a basic life insurance policy administered by Reliastar Life Insurance Company that was worth $450,000. Michael Stills was the designated beneficiary of the policy.

In October 2020, Amy's mother, Janice Hill, moved to Los Angeles to be closer to Amy, and that same month, Amy was admitted to the hospital. While in the hospital, Amy executed an advance directive that named Janice as her healthcare agent.

In November 2020, Amy asked an attorney friend, Devre Ross, to help her in filing a restraining order against Michael, which was filed on November 6, 2020. From that day on, Michael did not see Amy again until her death. In the meantime, Janice was Amy's companion and caregiver.

In January 2021, Ross helped Amy execute a will that named her parents, Janice and Kenneth, as beneficiaries, and Amy also changed the beneficiary of her life insurance policies with Reliastar. In February 2021, Amy filed for divorce from Michael, but she died in March 2021.

Litigation broke out between Stills and the Hills, with Stills alleging he was entitled to half of the insurance benefits due to community property laws and accusing the Hills of coercion of Amy. On April 12, 2022, Reliastar filed a complaint in the Central District of California seeking declaratory relief regarding the rights of the Hills and Michael Stills.

DEFENDANTS HILLS' CONTENTIONS: The Hills contended that Amy had made her own decisions regarding her affairs up until the end of her life; that she had capacity; and that she had effectively and legally changed the beneficiaries of the insurance policies and her will. Moreover, they contended that there had been no coercion on their part.

DEFENDANT STILLS'S CONTENTIONS: Stills contended that Janice Hill had coerced her daughter into changing the beneficiary of her policies and her will; that their marriage had been a happy marriage; and that Amy could not make decisions on her own because of the medications she was on to treat her illness.

Result

The court found that Janice and Kenneth were entitled to the full amount of life insurance proceeds, totaling $454,095.32.