[WSBAPT] Options for Death of close friend without documents

[Brent Williams-Ruth]

Welcome to August!

Call from one of my clients first thing this morning - a very close friend
of my client passed away.  The Decedent had NO LEGAL DOCUMENTS but had
listed my client as the person to call in case of emergency for the
hospital.

There are no known relatives.

My client wants to be helpful and clean out her apartment so that it can be
put back into circulation for others who would qualify. The only asset that
they are aware of would be whatever is in a bank account (they don't have
any clue) and a car that they value at approximately $500.

I have been looking through the Small Estate statutes and 11.08 (escheat)
and I am not seeing any pathway for my client to lawfully help out.

The funeral home seems to be allowing them to act as if they were POA
without any verification and openly stated that they were relieved someone
was willing to come forward to claim the body.

I was thinking that they could claim to be a creditor (because they are
going to pay for the cremation) but the Small Estate affidavit expressly
states that a creditor is NOT a successor as defined.

Thank you!
Brent

*Brent Williams-Ruth* (pronouns: he/him)
*Attorney-At-Law*

*Law Offices of Brent Williams-Ruth, **a division of BWR Consulting, PLLC*

*Physical Address: 500 S 336th Street, Suite 214; Federal Way, WA 98003*

***EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY** All mail sent through the USPS should be sent to
the following address: **PO BOX 3319; Federal Way, WA 98063 *

Office/Scheduling Phone: (253) 285-7751

Direct: (253) 285-7453

e-mail <Brent at Williams-RuthLaw.com> / website
<http://www.williams-ruthlaw.com/> / facebook
<http://www.facebook.com/bwrlaw> /
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.fsr.com/pipermail/wsbapt/attachments/20220801/d99f01bf/attachment.html>