Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. v. Wilmington Trust, National Association

NOT FOR PUBLICATION FILED

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS MAR 20 2026

MOLLY C. DWYER, CLERK

FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT U.S. COURT OF APPEALS

AMERITAS LIFE INSURANCE CORP., No. 24-6801 D.C. No. Plaintiff-Appellant, 2:24-cv-02437-SVW-RAO v.

MEMORANDUM*

WILMINGTON TRUST, N.A.,

Defendant-Appellee.

Appeal from the United States District Court for the Central District of California Stephen V. Wilson, District Judge, Presiding

Argued and Submitted February 9, 2026 Pasadena, California

Before: WARDLAW, M. SMITH, and BADE, Circuit Judges. Dissent by Judge WARDLAW.

Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. appeals from the district court’s dismissal of

its complaint for declaratory judgment against Wilmington Trust, N.A. The

complaint alleges that a life insurance policy Ameritas issued to Wilmington is void

for lack of an “insurable interest” in the life of the insured, Amir Moghadam. The

district court rejected that theory as a matter of law. We have jurisdiction under

U.S.C. § 1291, and we reverse.

* This disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent…