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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">I would use subpoenas. In this kind of circumstance, I would make a short ex parte petition to the court to show good cause, and request an order authorizing
the PR to issue subpoenas duces tecum pursuant to CR 45 to third parties for purposes of determining decedent's assets. I would use
<a href="http://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=11.96A.115">RCW 11.96A.115(2)</a> as authority. Others have pointed out that subpoena power technically is not "discovery" since it's under the Civil Rules relating to trial, and still others argue that a
PR has subpoena power without needing to get permission first, but I think that making the explicit record and getting an order authorizing it covers any potential irregularity.<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-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Sincerely,<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">Eric<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">Eric C. Nelsen<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">SAYRE LAW OFFICES, PLLC<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">1417 31st Ave South<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Seattle WA 98144-3909<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">phone 206-625-0092<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">fax 206-625-9040<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>Thomas Hackett<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, November 14, 2017 9:01 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] Discovery in Probate Proceeding<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Listmates-<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Client is administering an estate, and we are dealing with parties who are at best not forthcoming. We need to determine what assets the decedent's held at his death, and potentially review business transactions from the past few years.
At this point, it seems appropriate to use formal discovery in the probate or some other judicial process to increase the consequences for the other parties - and get my client the information he needs to administer the estate. The other parties were decedent's
advisors, including real estate agents and mortgage brokers, and were intimately familiar with decedent's financials from both "advising" the decedent and investing in projects with him.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">I would greatly appreciate insights into the process for doing formal discovery processes or TEDRA procedures to get information on a decedent's assets and prior business dealings. <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Thank you in advance for your knowledge and insights. <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black"><img border="0" width="96" height="96" id="_x0000_i1025" src="https://docs.google.com/uc?export=download&id=0B-SxUq1b3OJKWTdxRWo3ZThmaGs&revid=0B-SxUq1b3OJKNVVIcDZreEwxdGNIb1Q5VDRDU0RrUTVoL2E4PQ"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#646464">Thomas A. Hackett</span></b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#646464"><br>
Attorney | NW Legacy Law Center, P.S.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#8D8D8D">360-975-7770 | <a href="http://nwlegacylaw.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#8D8D8D;text-decoration:none">http://nwlegacylaw.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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