[WSBAPT] Re-opening Administratively Closed Probate

Fri Feb 7 12:43:41 PST 2025

That’s a bummer.  In the case I referenced in Pierce County, I filed a petition to reopen the estate under the same case number.  We weren’t required to pay a filing fee.  The gap between closure and reopening the estate was 1999-2025.  It may vary county by county.  King County seems to collect fees whenever they can.

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Inge A. Fordham | Attorney
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From: wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com> on behalf of James R Ihnot <jri at jamesrihnot.com>
Date: Friday, February 7, 2025 at 8:55 AM
To: 'WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv' <wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com>
Subject: Re: [WSBAPT] Re-opening Administratively Closed Probate
You are correct. King County just rejected my Motion and Order and required a new Petition so I had to pay the filing fee.

Jim

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From: wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com [mailto:wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com] On Behalf Of Jane Bitz
Sent: Thursday, February 6, 2025 2:49 PM
To: 'WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv'
Subject: Re: [WSBAPT] Re-opening Administratively Closed Probate

In Spokane County Superior Court we submit a Motion and Order to reopen the estate to the Presiding Dept and the Order states that the Clerk shall issue Letters Testamentary/Administration to the named PR or person who was acting as Administrator.

We ask for re-issued (new issue date) on the old file so that whoever we are dealing with doesn’t have a reason to not honor the Letters Testamentary/Administration.

Note: if we submit a Petition and Order, the Clerk’s Office will charge us a new filing fee.

All the best,
Jane.

Jane G. Bitz
Of Counsel
WHC Attorneys PLLC
12209 E. Mission Ave, Suite 5
Spokane Valley, WA 99206-4824
(509) 927-9700 x126
FAX: (509) 777-1800

From: wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com> On Behalf Of James R Ihnot
Sent: Thursday, February 6, 2025 12:43 PM
To: 'WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv' <wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com>
Subject: Re: [WSBAPT] Re-opening Administratively Closed Probate

I recently had this issue and the Clerk in King County required me to file a new action and to get new letters issued. I have no problem if a Declaration of Completion was filed by the Estate, in that event there is a statute that says the case is terminated so I didn’t fight the decision to get new letters. It also made sense to me, if the case is dissolved, how can the letters still be valid?

Jim

PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT AS OF MARCH 1st, 2023 OUR OFFICE HAS MOVED.

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  James R. Ihnot, P.S.
  Attorney at Law
  13810 231st Lane NE
  Redmond, WA 98053
  C-(425)922-9040

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is intended only for the use of the recipient named above or the employee or
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this in error, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution
or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited.  If you have
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Thank you.

From: wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com<mailto:wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com> [mailto:wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com] On Behalf Of Sara Longley
Sent: Thursday, February 6, 2025 10:15 AM
To: wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com<mailto:wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com>
Subject: [WSBAPT] Re-opening Administratively Closed Probate

Hello listmates,

I have been brought in to work on a few different probates where matters stood still for so long that the court administratively closed the probate matter and they needed to be re-opened to complete the remaining work and distribute the assets.

My question is this: does re-opening a closed probate automatically revive the previously issued Letters?  I have been assuming that new Letters need to be issued, but I am curious to know if anyone has a rule or statute I have missed in my research saying otherwise.

Thanks,
Sara

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Sara D. Longley, Attorney

(Main) 360.378.4450 ext. 107

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