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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">I don't have a form for you but I want to throw a fly in your ointment, because I don't know the final answer re creditor claims and pending lawsuits.<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>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">I know the WSBA Probate Deskbook says that if you have a pending lawsuit when a defendant dies, you still have to file a creditor claim. Probate Deskbook (2005),
Sec. 7.6(4).<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>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">But there is case authority that says it is not necessary.
<u>Sutton v. Hirvonen</u>, 113 Wn.2d 1, 7 fn.1, 775 P.2d 448 (1989); <u>citing</u>
<u>Alexander v. Highfill</u>, 18 Wn.2d 733, 140 P.2d 277 (1943). I have read <u>Alexander</u> in detail; it involves the import of statutory amendments to the creditor claim process, and appears to say that the requirement to file a claim even when there is
a pending lawsuit was eliminated by the legislature in Session Laws of 1917, Chapter 156. The point was, that the creditor claim process is supposed to give notice to the PR that there is a claim against the Estate, which is redundant if the plaintiff is going
to file a motion against the PR to have them substituted into the lawsuit. So the Legislature apparently eliminated the requirement in 1917, and I guess nobody noticed?<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>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">I have not seen any case law directly overruling
<u>Alexander</u> or <u>Sutton</u>, but then nobody seems to cite them for this proposition either. I found one case,
<u>Martin v. Wilbert</u>, 162 Wn.App. 90, 110 fn.4, 253 P.3d 108 (Div. 1 2011). And it's not on point; just dicta as a comment on the record below.<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>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Petrarca v. Halligan</span></u><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">, 83 Wn.2d 773, 522 P.2d 827 (1974), decided
30 years after <u>Alexander</u> and 15 years before <u>Sutton</u>, is often cited for its principal holding that CR 25 overrules the four-month time limit for substitution of a deceased defendant's estate in RCW 11.40.100. The record in the lower court that
caused the ruling in the first place was because: the lawsuit was filed against the defendant, the defendant subsequently died, the plaintiff filed a creditor claim, the PR rejected the claim, the plaintiff filed a motion to substitute, and the PR objected
because it was untimely. But there was a catch-22 in the statutes at that time, such that the deadline to file the motion for substitution expired before the PR rejected the claim. So the
<u>Petrarca</u> court was focused on promoting the overriding authority of the Civil Rules over statutes with contrary procedural deadlines – and perhaps nobody bothered to argue or notice that the creditor claim itself was not required?<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>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">So I do not know for sure that this is still good law – but as near as I can tell, it is.<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>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Note also that RCW 11.40.051(1) starts: "Whether or not notice is provided under RCW 11.40.020, a person having a claim against the decedent is forever barred
from making a claim or <b>commencing</b> an action against the decedent...unless...[file a claim within time limits]."<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>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">That seems to contradict the possible meaning of RCW 11.40.010 "A person having a claim against the decedent may not
<b>maintain</b> an action on the claim unless a personal representative has been appointed and the claimant has presented the claim as set forth in this chapter." But perhaps "maintain" in the statute is not interpreted so broadly…<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>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Anyway. Probably the safest bet is to file a creditor claim anyway, but you give me an opportunity to throw this out to the listserv to see who bites.</span>
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><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>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Sincerely,<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>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Eric<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>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Eric C. Nelsen<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">SAYRE LAW OFFICES, PLLC<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">1320 University St<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Seattle WA 98101-2837<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">phone 206-625-0092<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">fax 206-625-9040<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>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif""> wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com [mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>sullaw@comcast.net<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, March 15, 2016 3:17 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> Listserv, WSBA<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] Creditor Claim + CR25 Petition to Substitute<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Listmates:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">I am preparing a creditor claim for a client with respect to a pending lawsuit against a deceased defendant.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">In addition to filing and serving the claim in the probate, the client is required to move the court in the pending lawsuit to substitute the PR for the defendant under CR25.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Does anyone have a form of Motion and Order they might be willing to share?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Thanks in advance.
<br>
<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b><span style="color:black">Best regards</span></b><span style="color:black">,
</span><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><a href="mailto:dlyons@lyonslawoffices.com" title="mailto:dlyons@lyonslawoffices.com
blocked::mailto:dlyons@lyonslawoffices.com
mailto:dlyons@lyonslawoffices.com"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";font-variant:small-caps;color:#002060">John
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</span><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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