[WSBAPT] Question On Joint Personal Representatives

[Philip N. Jones]

Down here in Oregon, some judges do not like to appoint co-PRs, but they often make an exception if the will so nominates.  All the judges see all day long are bad probates, often with co-PRs quarreling.  The good cases never make it past the probate court staff.  So the judges become very sensitive to co-PRs.  And when co-PRs quarrel, oftentimes the judge will appoint a neutral professional PR to make the problem go away.  So both PRs end up getting fired.
And then there is the question of whether you should represent one or both.  If you represent both, and they quarrel, what do you do?  Resign from both?  Probably.
Phil Jones


Philip N. Jones
Duffy Kekel LLP
900 S.W. Fifth Ave. Suite 2500
Portland, OR 97204
pjones at duffykekel.com<mailto:pjones at duffykekel.com>
(503) 226-1371 - office
(503) 853-1482 - cell
(503) 226-3574 - fax

From: wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com> On Behalf Of Joshua Grant
Sent: Tuesday, January 31, 2023 11:15 AM
To: WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com>
Subject: Re: [WSBAPT] Question On Joint Personal Representatives

You can do it, but it does complicate matters.  The banks can be hard to deal with. Sometimes they require both PR's to sign each check. And of course both PR's have to sign everything in the probate.  I tell people that I can't estimate the probate fee with 2 PR's because it can vary greatly.. so why don't one of you sign a declination to act as PR.?

Joshua F. Grant
[cid:image001.png at 01D93568.1F569860]
P. O. Box 619
Wilbur, WA 99185
509 647 5578
jgrant at advocateslg.com<mailto:jgrant at advocateslg.com>

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 Dave Culbertson
Sent: Tuesday, January 31, 2023 9:09 AM
To: wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com<mailto:wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com>; wsbarp at lists.wsbarppt.com<mailto:wsbarp at lists.wsbarppt.com>
Subject: [WSBAPT] Question On Joint Personal Representatives

Hello, Probate Listmates.

A quick question on pros and cons. A client wants to have two relatives act as joint Personal Representatives in her Will. I'm not sure that is possible to give letters testamentary to two people, but if it is my instinct is that it would be better to have one be the personal representative and the other be a successor PR. Any arguments for and against?

Thanks in advance.


Best Regards,

Dave Culbertson

The Law Office of Davisson Culbertson
PO 20403
Seattle, WA 98102

Phone: (206) 478-8134
FAX: (866) 867-7796
dculbertson at culbertsonlawoffice.com<mailto:dculbertson at culbertsonlawoffice.com>



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