Recent News

Maybe you’re preparing for your college student son or daughter to return from a semester of college for Thanksgiving or winter break. Or maybe you’re planning ahead to send your newly accepted student to his or her freshman year of college next year. Whether your child is attending college in Washington State or out of… Read More

In a Washington probate, the personal representative of the estate usually publishes a notice to creditors of the deceased in a newspaper once a week for three consecutive weeks.  However, the personal representative may also give creditors “actual notice”.  “Actual notice” is given by mailing a copy of the notice to the creditor’s last known… Read More

Despite politicians’ inability to resolve the budget impasse in Washington D.C., the Executive Office of the United States Courts recently announced Federal Courts will remain open through at least October 17—possibly through Friday, October 18th.  The Federal Courts have been operating on fee income and no-year appropriated funds to keep operations functioning since the shutdown… Read More

If you think your rights have been violated in Washington State, then don’t wait too long to protect them.  The case of Anderson v. Dussault, et al helps illustrate this point.  How much time is “too long” will vary depending upon the situation and the rights involved.   This case is specific to trusts, however, other… Read More

Here is one solution to close an estate in Washington State when you cannot locate an heir or beneficiary. A Personal Representative or the Administrator (sometimes called the Executor) of an Estate is charged with locating the beneficiaries of a Will or the heirs of someone who has died. Sometimes this is an easy job,… Read More

The state of Washington has long had a policy that no person will be allowed to profit by their own wrong, wherever that wrong is committed.  One area in which that policy has been expressed is inheritance rights.  For many years, Washington has had a “slayer statute”, RCW Chapter 11.84.  The statute provided that no… Read More

While opening probate may be beneficial or required in some instances, not every death may trigger the need to open a probate case to administer an estate. For smaller estates, a “Small Estate Affidavit” may be sufficient. If the value of the decedent’s estate is not more than $100,000, then personal property (like vehicles, furniture,… Read More

In Washington state, non-judicial foreclosures of deeds of trust are governed by statute, RCW Chapter 61.24.  The non-judicial foreclosure process involves a public trustee’s sale after giving notice to various interested parties.  The effect of the trustee’s sale is to deprive the grantor of the deed of trust and anyone claiming under them of all… Read More

Unfortunately the story of Katie Barnett, a Vinton County, Ohio woman is not a new one in this post-recession housing market, but is still one a homeowner’s nightmares are made of.  While Ms. Barnett was on vacation, a bank accidentally repossessed her home, rather than the correct home across the street.  When Ms. Barnett returned… Read More