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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">I was part of a short-lived Bar subcommittee on this issue a year or so ago, trying to figure out if there is a need for a legislative change. We were a lowly subcommittee so I don't know what the full committee
ever concluded, but nothing has been done so far as I know.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">It does get a little complicated, because the intestacy statute is trying to imagine, and provide for, a "typical" family, and give the inheritance to those persons that a decedent would "typically" be closest
to and would presumably prefer. We want to avoid the so-called "laughing heir," the remote relative who isn't sad that the decedent died because they never even knew each other.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">We found that there is no obvious "typical" when it comes to half-sibs. Many half-sibs are close in age and are raised as children all in the same household, and so have a regular sibling relationship despite
not being full sibs. That's the counterexample to your example, which is the other end of the spectrum. In your case, there is often a big age gap between half siblings and they are raised in entirely separate households and may not even really know each other
very well.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Since intestacy is the "default" inheritance, which scenario should the legislature enact as "typical"? Some options that have been argued amount to giving the court discretion to determine, after the death of
the decedent, whether the half-sibs are sufficiently "close" to the decedent to allow inheritance. We discarded that--seems like a huge can of worms. Not to mention, if that were the criteria, why not exclude full siblings--or any other relative--who the decedent
had no relationship with? We need a clear intestacy scheme that has no discretionary variables.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">I like your proposal, as it is relatively simple--the "50% to issue of the father and 50% to issue of the mother" approach is already used as to grandparents, when the heirs are related to the decedent only through
the grandparents. <a href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=11.04.015">
RCW 11.04.015(2)(e)</a>. But keep in mind that the proposal still would be merely a method of splitting the baby, and doesn't really resolve the underlying problem: that intestacy is a default rule that can't cover all scenarios, and half-sibs come in a wide
variety of familial closeness. Maybe splitting the baby is better than favoring inclusion of half-sibs; but I'm not certain.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">Eric<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">Eric C. Nelsen<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">SAYRE LAW OFFICES, PLLC<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">1417 31st Ave South<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">Seattle WA 98144-3909<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">phone 206-625-0092<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">fax 206-625-9040<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><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>Karl Flaccus<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, February 20, 2019 3:54 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] Intestate Inheritance with "kindred of the half blood"<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E">You’re right, I meant to say half-siblings, not step-siblings. Here is how it should have read: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E">If a person dies intestate without children or spouse, and the intestate’s parents are deceased, the heirs are the deceased’s siblings, whether those siblings
are full siblings or half siblings. RCW 11.04.035. So a person might die with a twin who survives, for example, and that surviving twin has to share her brother’s inheritance with 9 half siblings a thousand miles away who she’s never met. This seems odd,
but that’s the law. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E">There is an exception to this if the property is traceable to the twins’ parent (ancestor) who is not the parent of the half-children, in which case those
traceable funds go only to the twin and not to the half siblings. RCW 11.04.035. Ok, that makes sense.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E">Going back to the first paragraph above: I know this is not the law, but it seems to me it would make more sense if an intestate’s estate (that is not traceable
to one parent or another) would go 50% to mom’s children and 50% to dad’s children. In the case of a twin with 9 half-siblings, under this proposal the twin would get 55% and each half-sibling would get 5%. If the twin had 3 half-siblings instead of 9,
the twin would receive 62.5%, and 12.5% would go to each half-sibling.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E">Wouldn’t that make more sense? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E">Karl
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E">F</span></i><i><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E">LACCUS</span></i><i><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E">
L</span></i><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E">A</span></i><i><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E">W</span></i><i><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E">7010 35th Ave. N.E.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E">Seattle, Washington 98115<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E">206 523-0297</span></i><span style="color:#0F243E"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style="border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> <a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">
wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a> <<a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Mike Winslow<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, February 20, 2019 12:14 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv' <<a href="mailto:wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBAPT] Intestate Inheritance with "kindred of the half blood"<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">First, I think you are confusing terms between
<i>half siblings</i> and <i>step siblings</i>. The steps have no claim because they are not blood relatives. The half sibs do because they share one parent with the decedent.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">See Section 6.4 of the WSBA Probate desk book. The discussion about ancestral property (which you raised below) is also interesting.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Michael A. Winslow<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">1204 Cleveland Ave.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Mount Vernon, WA 98273<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Ph. 360-336-3321<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Em. <a href="mailto:Mike@winslegal.com">
Mike@winslegal.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">This message is from an attorney, so it’s confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, it’s too late to stop reading this message, but you may not use it for any improper purpose. Huge Disclaimer available
upon request.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style="border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in">
<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"">
<a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a> [<a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Karl Flaccus<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, February 20, 2019 11:48 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] Intestate Inheritance with "kindred of the half blood"<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E">If a person dies intestate without children or spouse, and the intestate’s parents are deceased, the heirs are the deceased’s siblings, whether those siblings
are full siblings or half siblings. RCW 11.04.035. So a person might die with a twin who survives, for example, and that surviving twin has to share her brother’s inheritance with 9 step siblings a thousand miles away who she’s never met. This seems odd,
but that’s the law. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E">There is an exception to this if the property is traceable to the twins’ parent (ancestor) who is not the parent of the step-children, in which case those
traceable funds go only to the twin and not to the step-sibs. RCW 11.04.035. Ok, that makes sense.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E">Going back to the first paragraph above: I know this is not the law, but it seems to me it would make more sense if an intestate’s estate (that is not traceable
to one parent or another) would go 50% to mom’s children and 50% to dad’s children. In the case of a twin with 9 step-siblings, under this proposal the twin would get 55% and each step-child would get 5%. If the twin had 3 step siblings instead of 9, the
twin would receive 62.5%, and 12.5% would go to each step sibling.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E">Wouldn’t that make more sense? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E">Karl
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E">F</span></i><i><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E">LACCUS</span></i><i><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E">
L</span></i><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E">A</span></i><i><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E">W</span></i><i><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E">7010 35th Ave. N.E.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E">Seattle, Washington 98115<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#0F243E">206 523-0297</span></i><span style="color:#0F243E"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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