[WSBAPT] attorneys are officers of the court--therefore essential

[julie at juliefowlerlaw.com]

Susan,

 

I did this in my office yesterday. I exercised appropriate cleaning and
distancing to get it done. I believe the service is essential. The only
hitch was I didn't have my normal two witnesses and a notary so I had to
modify my documents so one was notary signature only (POA) and one was
witnessed only without notary (Will) since I had to act as a witness.

 

I'm keeping a clear record in my files that this was done during the covid-
crises so if there's any challenge to the documents we have an explanation. 

 

FWIW, I passed several police officers but no one questioned why I was out.

 

Julie K. Fowler

 

Law Office of Julie K. Fowler, P.S.

14205 SE 36th Street, Ste 100

Bellevue, WA 98006

(425) 990-9975

 <http://www.juliefowlerlaw.com> www.juliefowlerlaw.com

 

From: wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com>
On Behalf Of Susan Donahue
Sent: Friday, March 27, 2020 12:09 PM
To: 'WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv' <wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com>
Subject: [WSBAPT] attorneys are officers of the court--therefore essential

 

Hello everyone,

 

I have someone who wants to execute his will.  So, I'm faced with the actual
situation now.  On page 10 of the list of "Essential Critical Infrastructure
Workers' issued by Governor Inslee on March 23, 2020, "The Courts,
consistent with direction from the Washington State Chief Justice" are
listed as part of the "essential workforce".  As an attorney, I am an
officer of the court, therefore, I argue, I can conduct a will signing if
the participants always stay 6' away from one another by approaching a table
outside on my office's porch one at a time to sign, with the table wiped
down and the pen wiped down, etc.

 

Has anyone figured out a way to conduct will signings under these
conditions?  Is my argument too novel?  If I did this, could I be in
violation of the governor's order?

 

I know this has been discussed but in previous threads the issue of
notarizing was the issue-not the issue of witnessing a will.

 

Any thoughts would be helpful.

 

Thank you.

 

 

 

Susan Donahue

Law Office of Susan Donahue

125 West 2nd Avenue, Suite "B"

P.O. Box 81

Twisp, WA 98856

(509) 996-5944 (phone)

(509) 362-9692 (fax)

sdonahue at sdonahuelaw.com <mailto:sdonahue at sdonahuelaw.com> 

www.sdonahuelaw.com <http://www.sdonahuelaw.com> 

 

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