[WSBAPT] managing a creditor's claim

[Dalynne Singleton]

Depending on your county of filing, you should put into ADR (mediation and/or arbitration) and then do a little discovery as well.  Present your case and see if any settlement can be reached.
Do you have a trial date?  That would also give you some hard deadlines to file for discovery, ADR, etc.

Dalynne Singleton
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<http://www.glglawgroup.com/>
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From: wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com> On Behalf Of Kate Szurek
Sent: Wednesday, April 1, 2026 4:44 PM
To: WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com>
Subject: [WSBAPT] managing a creditor's claim

Our decedent and her late husband were cared for by live-in married couple (caregiver and gardener).  After the second death, the couple filed a substantial creditor's claim (over $100K) saying only that they "devoted years to [the decedents'] care."  True, but all along they received free room and board for themselves and their 3 children, in separate living quarters (a nice guest house on the property), plus reasonable compensation, gas, food . . .  We also let them remain for several months after the second death so they could watch the place, provide maintenance, and find suitable housing.

We rejected the claim; they brought suit; we made a counterclaim (place was left with food exposed and filled with vermin) and later a settlement offer.  A few unproductive phone conferences and well over a year later, nothing is happening.

Ideas for how to shake this loose --- that doesn't involve a flood of paperwork generating attorney's fees?

Thanks in advance, oh experienced ones.

Kate


Kate Szurek, J.D., LL.M. (in Taxation)
kate at skagitlaw.com<mailto:kate at skagitlaw.com>

[SkagitLaw_Signature (2)]
Skagit Law Group, PLLC
P.O. Box 336 / 227 Freeway Drive, Suite B
Mount Vernon, WA  98273
360.336.1000
360.336.6690 (fax)
http://www.skagitlaw.com<http://www.skagitlaw.com/>

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