No. 24-602

Daniel Graff v. Brighthouse Life Insurance Company, aka Brighthouse Financial Life Insurance Company

Lower Court: Eighth Circuit
Docketed: 2024-12-03
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Response Waived
Tags: constitutional-rights due-process federal-court-interpretation separation-of-powers state-law-deference statutory-construction
Latest Conference: 2025-01-10
Question Presented (from Petition)

1. Whether a Federal Court, in disregard of state law and of rules in decisions made by the highest court in a state, can interpret a statute such that it can extinguish Constitutional rights.

2. Whether a Federal Court, in disregard of state law and of rules in decisions made by this Court and by the highest court in a state, can interpret a state law such that it results in the upsetting of the separation of powers under a state constitution.

Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether a Federal Court can interpret a state statute in a manner that extinguishes constitutional rights or upsets the separation of powers without adhering to state law and supreme court precedent

Docket Entries

2025-01-13
Petition DENIED.
2024-12-18
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/10/2025.
2024-12-04
Waiver of right of respondent Brighthouse Life Insurance Company to respond filed.
2024-11-26
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due January 2, 2025)

Attorneys

Brighthouse Life Insurance Company
Drew M. HorwoodFaegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, Respondent
Daniel Graff
Calvin Roger KuhlmanThe Law Firm of Calvin R. Kuhlman, Petitioner