Slakman v. Continental Cas. Co., No. S03Q1075.

CourtSupreme Court of Georgia
Writing for the CourtHUNSTEIN, Justice.
Citation277 Ga. 189,587 S.E.2d 24
Decision Date06 October 2003
Docket NumberNo. S03Q1075.
PartiesSLAKMAN v. CONTINENTAL CASUALTY COMPANY et al.

587 S.E.2d 24
277 Ga. 189

SLAKMAN
v.
CONTINENTAL CASUALTY COMPANY et al

No. S03Q1075.

Supreme Court of Georgia.

October 6, 2003.


587 S.E.2d 25
Barry S. Slakman, Hardwick, for appellant

Carlock, Copeland, Semler & Stair, Charles Edward Rogers, William Paul Jones, Hassett, Cohen, Goldstein, Port & Gottlieb, Robert C. Port, Atlanta, for appellee.

HUNSTEIN, Justice.

Shana Slakman, the wife of appellant Barry Slakman and daughter of appellees Barbara Adamo and Sherwin Glass, was insured under a life insurance policy issued by appellee Continental Casualty Company naming her husband as the beneficiary. After Shana's death and Slakman's indictment for her murder, Continental initiated an interpleader action in United States District Court to resolve conflicting claims to the benefits under the policy. Slakman subsequently was convicted of murder and his motion for new trial is currently pending before the Fulton County Superior Court. After Slakman's conviction, the district court granted summary judgment in favor of appellees finding that Slakman was prohibited from recovering life insurance benefits under OCGA § 33-25-13. Slakman filed an appeal

587 S.E.2d 26
in the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, which certified to this Court the question of whether OCGA § 33-25-13 bars an individual from receiving benefits under a murder victim's life insurance policy before his conviction and sentence [277 Ga. 190] become final under state law.1 We hold that it does not

OCGA § 33-25-13 provides:

No person who commits murder or voluntary manslaughter or who conspires with another to commit murder shall receive any benefits from any insurance policy on the life of the deceased, even though the person so killing or conspiring be named beneficiary in the insurance policy. A plea of guilty or a judicial finding of guilt not reversed or otherwise set aside as to any of such crimes shall be prima-facie evidence of guilt in determining rights under this Code section.

Pursuant to the plain language of the statute, an individual may be barred from receiving the benefits of a life insurance policy even in the absence of a criminal conviction if it is determined under the appropriate standard of proof that the individual committed murder or voluntary manslaughter or conspired to commit murder. Criminal proceedings against the individual may give rise to prima facie evidence of guilt for purposes of OCGA § 33-25-13 only upon the entry in the...

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66 practice notes
  • Couch v. Red Roof Inns, Inc., No. S12Q0625.
    • United States
    • Georgia Supreme Court
    • July 9, 2012
    ...their plain and ordinary meaning, and to avoid a construction that makes some language mere surplusage.” Slakman v. Continental Cas. Co., 277 Ga. 189, 191, 587 S.E.2d 24 (2003). The statute uses “fault” synonymously with “responsibility” and “liability” for and “contribut[ion]” to the damag......
  • Legacy Data Access, LLC v. Mediquant, Inc., DOCKET NO. 3:15-cv-00584-FDW-DSC
    • United States
    • United States District Courts. 4th Circuit. Western District of North Carolina
    • December 4, 2017
    ...Charter. Sch., Inc., 293 Ga. 629, 631, 748 S.E.2d 884, 886 (2013) (citing Ga. Ann. Code § 1-3-1(a); Slakman v. Continental Cas. Co., 277 Ga. 189, 190, 587 S.E.2d 24, 26 (2003)). Here, the non-competition provision does not "contain[] a list of particular competitors as prohibited emplo......
  • Mayor v. Harris, S17G0692
    • United States
    • Supreme Court of Georgia
    • January 29, 2018
    ...86 S.E.2d 511 (1955), so as to avoid "a construction that makes some language mere surplusage," Slakman v. Continental Gas Co., 277 Ga. 189, 191, 587 S.E.2d 24 (2003).Turning to the relevant portion of OCGA § 51-3-25, the liability protections of the RPA do not apply "[f]or i......
  • Sheriff v. State, No. S03G0492.
    • United States
    • Supreme Court of Georgia
    • October 6, 2003
    ...when a party is denied the closing argument to which it is statutorily entitled under OCGA § 17-8-70). Appellant's right to make a closing [277 Ga. 189] argument was not completely abridged since one of his attorneys was allowed to address the jury. However, while there was sufficient evide......
  • Request a trial to view additional results
65 cases
  • Couch v. Red Roof Inns, Inc., No. S12Q0625.
    • United States
    • Georgia Supreme Court
    • July 9, 2012
    ...their plain and ordinary meaning, and to avoid a construction that makes some language mere surplusage.” Slakman v. Continental Cas. Co., 277 Ga. 189, 191, 587 S.E.2d 24 (2003). The statute uses “fault” synonymously with “responsibility” and “liability” for and “contribut[ion]” to the damag......
  • Legacy Data Access, LLC v. Mediquant, Inc., DOCKET NO. 3:15-cv-00584-FDW-DSC
    • United States
    • United States District Courts. 4th Circuit. Western District of North Carolina
    • December 4, 2017
    ...Charter. Sch., Inc., 293 Ga. 629, 631, 748 S.E.2d 884, 886 (2013) (citing Ga. Ann. Code § 1-3-1(a); Slakman v. Continental Cas. Co., 277 Ga. 189, 190, 587 S.E.2d 24, 26 (2003)). Here, the non-competition provision does not "contain[] a list of particular competitors as prohibited employers[......
  • Mayor v. Harris, S17G0692
    • United States
    • Supreme Court of Georgia
    • January 29, 2018
    ...429, 440, 86 S.E.2d 511 (1955), so as to avoid "a construction that makes some language mere surplusage," Slakman v. Continental Gas Co., 277 Ga. 189, 191, 587 S.E.2d 24 (2003).Turning to the relevant portion of OCGA § 51-3-25, the liability protections of the RPA do not apply "[f]or injury......
  • Sheriff v. State, No. S03G0492.
    • United States
    • Supreme Court of Georgia
    • October 6, 2003
    ...when a party is denied the closing argument to which it is statutorily entitled under OCGA § 17-8-70). Appellant's right to make a closing [277 Ga. 189] argument was not completely abridged since one of his attorneys was allowed to address the jury. However, while there was sufficient evide......
  • Request a trial to view additional results

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