[WSBAPT] Failure of Will as to witnesses

[Dalynne Singleton]

The interested party can be a witness to the will.  It creates a rebuttable presumption so the witness needs to rebut it.

RCW 11.12.160<http://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=11.12.160>
Interested witness-Effect on will.
(1) An interested witness to a will is one who would receive a gift under the will.
(2) A will or any of its provisions is not invalid because it is signed by an interested witness. Unless there are at least two other subscribing witnesses to the will who are not interested witnesses, the fact that the will makes a gift to a subscribing witness creates a rebuttable presumption that the witness procured the gift by duress, menace, fraud, or undue influence.
(3) If the presumption established under subsection (2) of this section applies and the interested witness fails to rebut it, the interested witness shall take so much of the gift as does not exceed the share of the estate that would be distributed to the witness if the will were not established.
(4) The presumption established under subsection (2) of this section has no effect other than that stated in subsection (3) of this section.

Dalynne Singleton
Gourley Law Group
Snohomish Escrow
The Exchange Connection
1002 10th Street / PO Box 1091
Snohomish, WA 98291
360.568.5065
360.568.8092  fax
dalynne at glgmail.com<mailto:dalynne at glgmail.com>
Website:  www.glglawgroup.com

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From: wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com> On Behalf Of Diane J. Kiepe
Sent: Wednesday, April 28, 2021 8:51 AM
To: WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com>
Subject: Re: [WSBAPT] failure of Will as to witnesses

Hi Roger - the notary is not an interested party - the family that was with her in front of the notary are.  Sorry for the confusing facts.

Diane J. Kiepe

Diane J. Kiepe
Douglas Eden
717 W. Sprague Ave.
Suite 1500
Spokane, WA  99201
djkiepe at depdslaw.com<mailto:djkiepe at depdslaw.com>
509-455-5300

From: wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com<mailto:wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com> <wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com<mailto:wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com>> On Behalf Of Roger Hawkes
Sent: Tuesday, April 27, 2021 5:12 PM
To: WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com<mailto:wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com>>
Subject: Re: [WSBAPT] failure of Will as to witnesses

Not a will; but confusing facts: is the notary an 'interested party'?

Roger Hawkes, WSBA # 5173
Hawkes Law Firm and Sultan Lawyers
19944 Ballinger Way NE, Shoreline, WA 98155 and
423 Main, Sultan, WA 98294
206 367 5000
360 799 6438

From: wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com<mailto:wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com> <wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com<mailto:wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com>> On Behalf Of Diane J. Kiepe
Sent: Tuesday, April 27, 2021 4:23 PM
To: WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com<mailto:wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com>>
Subject: [WSBAPT] failure of Will as to witnesses

Client did his/her own Will and signed at one of these mailing type stores where they have notaries.  Notary signed.  No Witnesses - dispositive terms eliminated a deceased child (and his/her descendants).  Will fails and intestacy or any of you legal eagles out there think a TEDRA petition could be done acknowledging that the Will was not validly witnessed but should none the less be followed and be reformed by the court  (mistake of law under 11.96A.125) - or course the only witnesses to the signing are interested parties.

I feel like I know the answer already but thought I'd just confirm my suspicions or learn something new.

Diane J. Kiepe

Diane J. Kiepe
Douglas Eden
717 W. Sprague Ave.
Suite 1500
Spokane, WA  99201
djkiepe at depdslaw.com<mailto:djkiepe at depdslaw.com>
509-455-5300

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