<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<style type="text/css" style="display:none;"><!-- P {margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;} --></style>
</head>
<body dir="ltr">
<div id="divtagdefaultwrapper" style="font-size:12pt;color:#000000;background-color:#FFFFFF;font-family:Calibri,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<p>Listmates,</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>I am starting to run into this more frequently, and wonder if anyone has any specific guidance:</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>Client dies and the firearms owned are to be transferred to beneficiaries. <br>
</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>After I-594 was passed, RCW 9.41.113 (and certain other statutes) were amended to limit transfer of firearms without registration. There are, however, certain exemptions.
<br>
</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>9.41.113 (4)(a) exempts transfers between immediate family members that are bona fide gifts.</p>
<p>9.41.113 (4)(g) exempts transfers by operation of law upon the death of the prior owner of the firearm (if other than a pistol)
<i>or, if a pistol, </i>the transfer is permitted so long as the transfer is completed through a lawful firearms dealer or the transferee has notified the Dept. of Licensing that he/she has possession and intends to retain possession of the pistol.</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>My reading of the first exemption is that it is probably intended to apply to inter vivos gifts between family members, although I think the language is somewhat ambiguous -- because a gift by will/trust is still a bona fide gift, and if the gift is made
to an immediate family member, then why shouldn't that exemption apply?</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>The second exemption cited clearly applies, but it also covers gifts to non-family members. The difference may be minor, but there is a requirement of registration (at least as to pistols) that goes with the second exemption, but not the first.</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>Has anyone else run into this?</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>Thanks, in advance, for your thoughts.</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p><span id="ms-rterangepaste-start"></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;color:#0070C0;mso-no-proof:yes">Jeffrey D. Winter</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;
color:#0070C0;mso-no-proof:yes">Law Office of Jeffrey D. Winter, P.S.<br>
</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;
color:#0070C0;mso-no-proof:yes">604 North Main Street</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;color:#0070C0;mso-no-proof:yes"><br>
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;color:#0070C0;mso-no-proof:yes">Ellensburg, WA 98926</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;
color:#0070C0;mso-no-proof:yes"><br>
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;color:#0070C0;mso-no-proof:yes">(509) 925-9600 tel.</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;
color:#0070C0;mso-no-proof:yes"><br>
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;color:#0070C0;mso-no-proof:yes">(509) 925-9606 fax</span></p>
</div>
<span id="ms-rterangepaste-end"></span><br>
<p></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>