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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">James,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Read RCW 11.12.040 and Estate of Malloy, 134 Wn.2d 316 (1997). I probated a will with initialed and dated strikeouts and additions. The strikeouts did not “vitally enhance”
the residuary bequests, so the strikeouts were deemed a partial revocation and therefore were allowed. A testator’s attempt to write in a change to a will is an attempt to modify the will and is not valid. Some of the changes in the will you found may be valid
partial revocations, some may be an attempted modification. There is also the doctrine of dependent relative revocation, mentioned in the annotations to RCW 11.12.040. A quick review of the annotations indicates that if the doctrine applies, the original will
is admitted with the attempted revocations and/or modifications ignored. I would thoroughly research the case law on these issues.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Lovie L. Bernardi</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Flaherty & Bernardi, PLLC</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Seattle, WA 98119</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">(206) 682-2616</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:joni@sbfirm.com"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">lovie@fb-lawfirm.com</span></a><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">**********</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com [mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>James Bates<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, June 26, 2017 10:38 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] Validity of Will<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Party executes what appears to be a valid will in 1991. All statutory requirements for will creation are met.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Sometime after that someone…I’m assuming the decedent…wrote all over the will in pencil. Changes included who will serve as executor, distribution, etc. Of course these changes
are not witnessed, signed, initialed, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">We originally opened the probate as an intestate estate and recently discovered this document. Estate is rather small and, of course, distribution is different between the
original will, the changes, and intestate succession.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">In my opinion the pencil changes are not valid; however, I’m looking for input/suggestions as to how to proceed. Do I admit the will as written in 1991, or can an argument
be made that the pencil changes revoked the will? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Thanks for any input/suggestions/help.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">James Bates, Attorney<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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