<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Wingdings;
panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Lucida Handwriting";
panose-1:3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#0563C1;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#954F72;
text-decoration:underline;}
p.MsoListParagraph, li.MsoListParagraph, div.MsoListParagraph
{mso-style-priority:34;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:252278800;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:-1132161344 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l1
{mso-list-id:1393889270;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:641099662 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715;}
@list l1:level1
{mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l1:level2
{mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l1:level3
{mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:right;
text-indent:-9.0pt;}
@list l1:level4
{mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l1:level5
{mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l1:level6
{mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:right;
text-indent:-9.0pt;}
@list l1:level7
{mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l1:level8
{mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l1:level9
{mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:right;
text-indent:-9.0pt;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0in;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>This is not a probate trust question, but I would appreciate some advice regarding how to initiate a tender of payment / deposit to the Clerk’s Trust Fund / Registry of the Court. I have been holding funds in my Trust account related to a dispute between client and third party which were deposited in the account while the parties negotiated a contract dispute. While negotiating a settlement with the other party, my client advanced the disputed funds to me to hold in my trust account until the dispute was resolved, but no settlement was reached. Neither-party wishes to institute a lawsuit to resolve the dispute, and my client does not want the funds returned but wishes to place the burden on the other party to initiate some form of settlement or suit. This has not occurred. I have indicated to the client that my only recourse may be to deposit the funds to the registry of the court and place the burden on the parties to resolve who should receive the funds. The Court’s website regarding treatment of funds in the registry does not appear to adequately address how to handle funds held when no action has been filed. The court website states that the clerk may receive deposits to the registry including:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><ul style='margin-top:0in' type=disc><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'>Funds paid in satisfaction of a judgment<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'>Funds of minors or incapacitated persons<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'>Funds tendered in an interpleader action<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'>Cash bonds<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'>Funds in an eminent domain case; and<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'>Any other funds tendered to the clerk for deposit<o:p></o:p></li></ul><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>It would appear this situation falls under the last scenario.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The section of RCW 36.48 related to the depositories seems to address the county’s obligations regarding funds deposited in the court registry; and RCW 4.08 (“Parties to Action”) provides some procedure related to the parties claiming the property. RCW 4.08.160 entitled “Action to determine conflicting claims to property” seems to suggest that there does not need to be an existing contract dispute claim or other suit pending: “Anyone having in his or her possession or under his or her control any property or money . . . where more than one person claims to be the owner of, entitled to etc. may commence an action in superior court against [all parties having a claim] and have their rights, claims etc. determined . . .”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>What type of Petition or Notice would be required where the funds would be deposited, notice given to the two parties, and placing the burden on the parties to initiate some form of action to claim the funds? Thanks for your opinion.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Lucida Handwriting"'>Sandi Gay<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Sandra Bates Gay, P.S.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>23515 N.E. </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Novelty</span><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> Hill Road<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Suite B211-397</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Redmond, Washington 98053-1997<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Phone: (425) 637-3040<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Fax: (425) 952-0156<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>E-Mail: <a href="mailto:sgay@sbglaw-wa.com"><span style='color:#0563C1'>sgay@sbglaw-wa.com</span></a> </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>