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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body bgcolor=white lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>This is an interesting situation and brings me to a similar question. Will it be grounds to disqualify and replace the PR if the PR who has been duly appointed neglects to pay the real estate taxes on the estate house before it goes to a tax foreclosure sale? The PR is living in the estate house and has been for several years without paying any rent to the estate. He appears to be willing to live in the home until it is foreclosed. There is one other heir who is a tenant in common except that the probate has not moved along and the home is still an estate asset. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>I want to have the PR replaced and get the home cleaned up and sold. Is this dereliction of duties enough to remove a PR?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>Thank you.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>James R. Doran<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>Attorney at Law<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>100 E. Pine Street – Suite 205<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>Bellingham, WA 98225<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>(360)393-9506<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><a href="mailto:jim@doranlegal.com"><span style='color:#0563C1'>jim@doranlegal.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>www.doranlegal.com<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:windowtext'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:windowtext'> wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com [mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Tom Stuen<br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, December 16, 2014 1:18 PM<br><b>To:</b> 'WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv'<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBAPT] disqualifying a named personal representative<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>Dewey: The conflict of interest should disqualify the son. If you need a cost-effective PR, try Stephanie Inslee or Cindy Maxwell.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'> The cost-effective method might be a pre-litigation mediation to divide the small estate. Then, the heirs could sign a small estate affidavit.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>Tom<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:windowtext'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:windowtext'> <a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a> [<a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Dewey Weddle<br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, December 16, 2014 12:34 PM<br><b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv<br><b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] disqualifying a named personal representative<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'>O Wise Ones,<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Incapacitated person, subject of guardianship, passed away last week. Will named her daughter (now deceased) as PR, and her son as First Alternate. Estate estimated to be less than $10K. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'>I represent guardian, who is deceased's granddaughter. Guardian, son, and others are beneficiaries of the estate. Long history of strife between son, who was removed as attorney-in-fact when guardianship was established 5 years ago, and guardian. (Guardian is protected by a DVPO of 25 years duration because of son's conduct [death threats, smashing out windshield of guardian's car]). Son, with the assistance of a <em><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'>pro bono </span></em>attorney from the local Volunteer Lawyer Program, has dragged guardian into court many times over the last two years, with one issue recently decided by the Court of Appeals. Son has lost every time and has been twice sanctioned by the Superior Court. He presently owes the estate between $3,000 and $4,000 as a result of those sanctions, and has no apparent ability to pay (chronically unemployed and believed to be living on disability benefits).<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'>I am looking for authority or suggestions as to how I might have the guardian appointed to administer the estate. RCW 11.88.150 (2) allows a guardian to petition to transfer a guardianship to a probate proceeding under some circumstances when the decedent dies intestate, but that is not the case here. Son does not appear to be disqualified under the statute to act as PR, because he is not a felon or has not been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude (unless his convictions for violations of the DVPO count as moral turpitude). Case law supports the proposition that the statute is not exclusive, and that a court can refuse to appoint a named personal representative for other reasons. I can think of many equitable arguments to have the son disqualified and to have the guardian administer what remains of this small estate, but I am also hoping that some of you might have some suggestions. Of particular interest to me, does the fact that the son owes the estate money (and in fact has judgments against him) disqualify him to act as PR? Seems to be a glaring conflict of interest to me. I also do not think he is bondable. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Having an independent administrator appointed is not a viable option because payments to that person would essentially result in nothing left to distribute. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Best regards to all, and thanks in advance for your thoughts,<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Dewey<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Law Office of Dewey W. Weddle, PLLC<br>909 7th Street<br>Anacortes, WA 98221<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Telephone 360-293-3600<br>Fax 360-293-3700<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></body></html>