Court: Plan Member Cannot Speak For Plan

A 3-judge panel at the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that a group disability plan member who is not a lawyer cannot represent the plan in a breach-of-fiduciary-duty suit.

Ronnie Simon, the plaintiff in the case, Ronnie J. Simon vs. Hartford Life Inc., Hartford Life and Accident Insurance Company, said he ought to be able to represent the plan in court proceedings because he was the plan’s only member, but the judges agreed with the lower court that the plan has an existence apart from Simon.