[WSBAPT] Notarized Will required to admit to probate vs valid Will

[Brent Williams-Ruth]

It is not that the Will needs to be notarized, but that the "testimony" of
the subscribing witnesses needs to be notarized.

What can be done is simply send a document to each witness that has the
same language that your page has when you do signings in your own office
and the Court will admit.  IF THEY ARE DEAD or undiscoverable, you can
plead your case to the Court and ask that they find the signatures
sufficient to establish that it was actually them.  I had success doing
this BEFORE the big law change on June 11th - I have no idea how they
Courts would treat a dead/missing witness situation now.

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*

*Mailing Address: **PO BOX 3319; Federal Way, WA 98063 *

Office/Scheduling Phone: (253) 285-7751

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e-mail <Brent at Williams-RuthLaw.com> / website
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On Wed, Sep 30, 2026 at 10:40 AM Timothy Lehr <timothy at stileslaw.com> wrote:

> All,
>
>
>
> I have what is likely a dumb question, but have not came across this
> before. PC filed a Petition to admit decedent’s Will and open probate, pro
> se. The Will was signed by two witnesses but not notarized. The court
> denied the petition and stated that the Will needs to be notarized and
> cannot be admitted.
>
>
>
> My office always notarizes our Wills but I did not think that was required
> to admit a Will to probate. My research found that a Will does not need to
> be notarized to be a valid Will under RCW 11.12.020, but a notarized Will
> creates a self-proving Will. Does a Will need to be notarized to admit to
> probate or if not notarized, are there additional requirements to admit the
> un-notarized Will to probate?
>
>
>
> *Timothy C. Lehr*
>
> Attorney & Partner
>
>
>
>
>
> p: 360.855.0131 <(360)%20855-0131>
>
> e: timothy at stileslaw.com
>
> w: www.stileslaw.com
>
>
>
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