AN AMENDED STIPULATED ORDER CONCERNING THE WIFE’S INTEREST IN THE HUSBAND’S LIFE INSURANCE AND 401k IN THE CONTEXT OF AN ONGOING DIVORCE ACTION, ISSUED AFTER THE HUSBAND’S DEATH, WAS WITHOUT EFFECT EVEN THOUGH THE ORGINAL STIPULATED ORDER WAS ISSUED ONE DAY BEFORE THE HUSBAND’S DEATH; THE DIVORCE ACTION ABATED UPON THE HUSBAND’S DEATH (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined that the death of the husband abated the divorce action and an “amended stipulated order” issued after the husband’s death concerning the wife’s interest in the husband’s insurance policy and 401k account was without effect. The original stipulated order had been issued one day before the husband’s death:

It is well settled that “where one party to a divorce action dies prior to the rendering of a judicial determination which dissolves or terminates the marriage, the action abates inasmuch as the marital relationship between the parties no longer exists” … . “Although an exception to this rule exists where the court has made a final adjudication of divorce but has not performed ‘the mere ministerial act of entering the final judgment,’ ” that exception does not apply here inasmuch as the court had merely granted some pretrial orders but had not made any final adjudication of divorce … . In this instance, the husband’s death “abated the . . . action for a divorce and ancillary relief” … . Adams v Margulis, 2021 NY Slip Op 00971, Fourth Dept 2-11-21