Giving
Up Unknown Rights
A wife who was unaware she was entitled to a spousal
payment signed a form giving up her right to benefits
without reading it. She later brought claim for
the Civil Service Retirement Benefits, only to
be told she signed them away. She contended the
benefits were rights she could not give up especially
if she did not understand them. The court decided
whether "unawareness" of her rights
was a good reason to prevent enforcement of the
agreement through which she gave them up.
