ORDERED that the appeal from the decision is dismissed, as no appeal lies from a decision (see, Schicchi v. Green Contr. Corp., 100 A.D.2d 509); and it is further,
ORDERED that on the court's own motion, the notice of appeal from the Qualified Domestic Relations Order entered June 28, 2000, is deemed an application for leave to appeal, and leave to appeal is granted; and it is further,
ORDERED that the Qualified Domestic Relations Order entered June 28, 2000, is reversed insofar as appealed from, on the law, and the matter is remitted to the Supreme Court, Westchester County, for entry of a Qualified Domestic Relations Order in accordance herewith; and it is further,
ORDERED that the plaintiff is awarded one bill of costs.
On June 4, 1999, the parties entered into a stipulation of settlement in open court resolving, inter alia, the disposition of the plaintiff pension. It is well settled that "stipulations of settlement, especially those whose terms are placed upon the record in open court, are met with judicial favor. Absent a showing of fraud, overreaching, mistake, or duress, the stipulation should not be disturbed by the court" (Wieners v. Wieners, 239 A.D.2d 493, 494). "A stipulation is an independent contract which is subject to the principles of contract law * * * A court should construe a stipulation made in open court in accordance with the intent of the parties and the purpose of the stipulation by examining the record as a whole * * * A court should not, under the guise of interpretation make a new contract for the parties" (McWade v. McWade, 253 A.D.2d 798, 799). The stipulation does not support the finding that the parties intended that the defendant wife would be entitled to name as beneficiaries the children of the marriage in the event that she predeceased the plaintiff husband (see, Wieners v. Wieners, supra; see also, McWade v. McWade, supra; cf., Schieck v. Schieck, 138 A.D.2d 691, 692). The parties agreed that the defendant would be entitled to a death benefit. However, there was no discussion of, or provision made for, what would happen in the event that the defendant predeceased the plaintiff. Accordingly, the Qualified Domestic Relations Order (hereinafter QDRO) is reversed insofar as appealed from and the Supreme Court, Westchester County, should enter an amended QDRO conforming to the parties' stipulation (see, Pizzuto v. Pizzuto, 162 A.D.2d 443).
O'BRIEN, J.P., GOLDSTEIN, SCHMIDT and SMITH, JJ., concur.