[WSBAPT] Witness Attestations and Self-Proving Affidavits

[Inge Fordham]

I ask the witnesses to sign below the testator/trix’s signature and also have them sign the affidavit.  A notary notarize the witnesses’ signatures.  Belt and suspenders.


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Inge A. Fordham | Attorney
Fordham Law, PLLC
3218 Sixth Avenue | Tacoma, WA 98406
Office: (253) 348-2657 | Fax: (253) 276-0280
www.fordhamlegal.com<http://www.fordhamlegal.com>

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From: wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com> on behalf of Kaitlin Miller <Kaitlin at jmg-law.com>
Date: Friday, March 6, 2026 at 10:44 AM
To: wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com>
Subject: [WSBAPT] Witness Attestations and Self-Proving Affidavits


Good morning:

Quick practice question under RCW 11.12.020:

When using a compliant self-proving affidavit, do you also include a separate witness attestation clause and witness signature lines in the will itself, or do you have the witnesses sign only the self-proving affidavit?

In other words, is the common practice to (1) have witnesses sign both the will and the self-proving affidavit, or (2) rely solely on the self-proving affidavit permitted by RCW 11.12.020?

I am more frequently seeing Last Wills which only have a self-proving affidavit and I am curious what others are doing in practice and whether anyone has encountered probate issues using affidavit-only witness signatures.

Thank you.

Kaitlin Miller
Associate Attorney
Law Office of Jeffrey M. Grieff, P.S.
1200 5th Avenue, Suite 1950
Seattle, WA 98101
www.jmg-law.com<http://www.jmg-law.com>
(206) 467-6969 Telephone
(206) 467-6738 Facsimile

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