<div dir="ltr"><div>Felicia, I know of the Norwegian case you're referring to, Hesthagen, which involved the PR knowing of the heirs existence but claiming otherwise during Probate. It's an interesting read!</div><div><br></div><div>The assets of the Decedent are held through a Trust, and the probate would be opened to effect a transfer of title on a home to an heir and spouse already on title (no financial investment on the part of the Decedent into purchase/maintenance). So from the perspective of the client there is no financial interest at stake (essentially taking steps a Title Company should have undertaken at closing). The interest here is to satisfy RCW 11.28.237's notice requirements as practically as possible without knowing details on the whereabouts of some heirs. <br></div><div><br></div><div>I agree that the standard here is high for a diligent search - thank you all for the feedback on this idea and the suggestions for a search firm!<br></div><div><br></div><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><table style="background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px" width="368" height="117" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr valign="top"><td style="border-right:1px solid rgb(102,102,102);font-family:arial,sans-serif;margin:0px;max-width:120px;padding-right:10px;width:96px"><img src="https://drive.google.com/a/nwlegacylaw.com/uc?id=1AcGsMP0vZZrFGmDW7zBZZPBbEb2YTALx&export=download" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;margin:0px" width="113" height="113"></td><td style="color:rgb(100,100,100);font-family:Arial;font-size:14px;margin:0px;padding-left:10px"><div style="text-transform:capitalize"><b>Jakob O. Seegmuller <br></b></div><div style="text-transform:capitalize">Attorney<br></div><div style="text-transform:capitalize">NW Legacy Law Center, P.S.</div><div style="color:rgb(141,141,141);font-size:13px;padding:5px 0px"><a style="color:rgb(34,34,34)">360-975-7770</a> | <span style="display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap"><a style="color:rgb(141,141,141)" href="http://nwlegacylaw.com/" target="_blank">http://nwlegacylaw.com</a><br></span></div><div style="color:rgb(141,141,141);font-size:13px;padding:5px 0px"><span style="display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/NWlegacylaw" target="_blank"><img src="https://docs.google.com/uc?export=download&id=1g0sk6R6CwUiO3ldgcesjLRVGr08ZXRDA&revid=0B7QFhV8A7-WsN011RWxveDltaHRFS05uc3R2OHhVSnFzM0JVPQ" alt="" width="21" height="21"></a><br></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr">On Wed, Jan 9, 2019 at 11:41 AM Eric Nelsen <<a href="mailto:Eric@sayrelawoffices.com">Eric@sayrelawoffices.com</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:rgb(31,73,125)">That's an interesting idea, but I am not sure there is any method of publication that will work for probate procedural purposes. Because the notice requirements
are statutory in Title 11, an ordinary probate administration is not a "civil proceeding" that could invoke service of process statutes like RCW 4.28.110 (generally for civil actions) or RCW 7.90.052 (specific only to a proceedings under Ch. 7.90 RCW).<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:rgb(31,73,125)"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:rgb(31,73,125)">The general standard is that notice is provided by mail (or personal service), and must be provided to all heirs, etc., whose "names and addresses are known
to him or her" per RCW 11.28.237. Case law says that phrase includes any heir whose name and address can be ascertained with "reasonable diligence," so if you know enough to say that they exist and live outside the State, then you already know too much to
get away with not trying harder to figure out the proper address.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:rgb(31,73,125)">For me, it depends a bit on how much money is at stake, but "reasonable diligence" generally means (1) asking client and friendly heirs and relatives for names
and addresses of the other heirs; (2) doing online free searches to try to find heirs whose names and approximately location are known; and (3) hiring a private investigator to get latest address for heirs whose names are known but can't be found on the free
search.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:rgb(31,73,125)">If there are heirs known to exist but their names are uncertain, or other kinds of more difficult questions, "reasonable diligence" might also involve retaining
an heir search company, but that cost is likely to run into several thousands. I did one recently that involved finding over 40 different cousins scattered across the country and the fees ran to about $9,000.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:rgb(31,73,125)"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:rgb(31,73,125)">Sometimes clients balk at spending even a couple hundred dollars on locating an heir, especially if there's a Will that disinherits the missing heir. My standard
advice is to tell them that providing proper notice protects <u>their own</u> inheritance, because it provides due process to everyone and virtually eliminates the missing heir's ability to raise any dispute later. If there is a genuine dispute or uncertainty,
better to flush it out immediately then try to "get away" with insufficient notice to the parties who are affected.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:rgb(31,73,125)">Sincerely,<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:rgb(31,73,125)"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:rgb(31,73,125)">Eric<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:rgb(31,73,125)"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:rgb(31,73,125)">Eric C. Nelsen<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:rgb(31,73,125)">SAYRE LAW OFFICES, PLLC<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:rgb(31,73,125)">1417 31st Ave South<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:rgb(31,73,125)">Seattle WA 98144-3909<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:rgb(31,73,125)">phone 206-625-0092<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:rgb(31,73,125)">fax 206-625-9040<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:rgb(31,73,125)"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif""> <a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com" target="_blank">wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a> [mailto:<a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com" target="_blank">wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Jake Seegmuller<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, January 09, 2019 10:26 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com" target="_blank">wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] Notice by Publication: Out-of-State Heirs with Unknown Addresses<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Dear Learned Listmates:<u></u><u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">We have a probate involving disparate family members without firm connections between them. Our clients do not know the exact addresses or contact information for several heirs outside the State and the relationship has been fraught for
some time. In order to satisfy notice requirements, what is the best approach for providing notice to these distant relatives?
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<p class="MsoNormal">Would notice by publication for three consecutive weeks in the widely circulated county/regional paper be sufficient or is a more thorough search for contact information required? (I'm looking to RCW 7.90.052(3) for some guidance on just
what constitutes sufficient publication for an individual).<u></u><u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Your insight is appreciated!<u></u><u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:rgb(100,100,100)">Jakob O. Seegmuller
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:rgb(100,100,100)">Attorney<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:rgb(100,100,100)">NW Legacy Law Center, P.S.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:rgb(141,141,141)">360-975-7770 | <a href="http://nwlegacylaw.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(141,141,141)">http://nwlegacylaw.com</span></a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
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