Marriage of Steed CA5

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

On October 26, 1998, the family law court entered a judgment of dissolution ending the marriage of James and Sharron Steed. The judgment included a provision that “James Steed’s retirement/deferred compensation benefits from employment during marriage shall be divided between the parties by the time rule.”2 During their marriage, James had been employed by the California Department of Corrections; his retirement plan was administered through the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS). James retired in 2007. In 2008, Sharron, acting in propria persona, sought entry of a domestic relations order (DRO) for payment to her of her interest in James’s retirement benefits. The orders she submitted to the court were entered but later vacated for failure to serve James. The parties apparently attempted to negotiate the terms of a DRO, but disagreed about whether Sharron could name beneficiaries to receive her community property interest in the retirement benefits upon her death or whether her

1Because the parties share a last name, we will refer to them by their first names for clarity and convenience. No disrespect is intended. 2“The …