19 Employee Benefits Cas. 1954, 95 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 7884, 95 Daily Journal D.A.R. 13,527, Pens. Plan Guide P 23914f Brenda Hearn v. Western Conference of Teamsters Pension Trust Fund

68 F.3d 301 19 Employee Benefits Cas. 1954 , 95 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 7884, 95 Daily Journal D.A.R. 13 ,527, Pens. Plan Guide P 23914F Brenda HEARN, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. WESTERN CONFERENCE OF TEAMSTERS PENSION TRUST FUND, Defendant-Appellee. No. 93-55167. United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. Argued and Submitted June 8, 1994. Decided Oct. 6, 1995. Lawrence D. Rohlfing, Santa Fe Springs, California, for plaintiff-appellant. Walter R. Allan, Robert A. Gordon, Constance M. Hiatt, Pillsbury, Madison & Sutro, San Francisco, California, for defendant-appellee. Appeal from the United States District Court for the Central District of California. Before: D.W. NELSON, BEEZER and KOZINSKI, Circuit Judges. KOZINSKI, Circuit Judge. 1 We must determine whether ERISA Sec. 205(c)(6), 29 U.S.C. Sec. 1055 (c)(6), absolves a pension plan of all liability to a surviving widow after her deceased husband waived her right to benefits without obtaining her consent.I 2 From 1961 to 1976 (and briefly in 1986), James Hearn's employer made contributions on his behalf to the Western Conference of Teamsters Pension Plan. In 1991, Mr. Hearn applied for retirement benefits. Under ERISA, he was…