Robson v. Robson
United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
514 F.Supp. 99 (1981)
Raymond Robson, Sr. (Ray Sr.) (defendant) and his son Raymond Robson, Jr. (Ray Jr.), co-owners of a company, signed a contract in 1975 providing that Ray Jr.'s widow, Birthe Robson (Birthe) (plaintiff), would receive $500 per month for five years if Ray Jr. died. After Ray Jr. and Birthe separated in 1977, Ray Sr. and Ray Jr. modified the contract to remove Birthe's benefit entirely, and Ray Jr. died of cancer just two days later; Birthe sued Ray Sr. for the $500 monthly payments the original contract had promised her, and both sides moved for summary judgment.
Whether a party to a contract may discharge, rescind, or revoke a donee beneficiary's benefits prior to the vesting of the donee beneficiary's rights.