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<p class="MsoNormal">Brent:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I had a client who was trying to establish her marriage that took place over 60 years before in Boston. Her husband was on his way to serve in WWII. There were a series of events (churches closed, records burned, etc.) that resulted in
her inability to obtain a certified copy of their marriage certificate. We were able to show their wedding album, a newspaper clipping with the date & info about the wedding, documentation of their 50<sup>th</sup> wedding anniversary party with cards & letters
(one of which was from their best man with a written recollection of the day of the wedding, he had since passed away) and her wedding band (the date of their wedding and their initials were inscribed inside). All of this evidence was used to show she had
been married for over 60 years to her now deceased husband. It worked.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I know that your client’s circumstances are quite different, but if they have anniversary cards or if they celebrated and have photos of an Anniversary party (better if it was listed in a newspaper or church bulletin), any deed showing
them as husband and wife, estate planning documents where he stated his name and said “I am married to [client name]”; their children’s birth certificates, even tax return copies “married, filing jointly” etc. All of this would help to substantiate that they
were actually married, even if they don’t have the “official paperwork”. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Hope this helps.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jane.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jane G. Bitz<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Of Counsel<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Wolff, Hislop & Crockett, PLLC<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">12209 E. Mission Ave, Suite 5<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Spokane Vallley, WA 99206-4824<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">(509) 927-9700 x126<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">FAX: (509) 777-1800<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1F497D"><img width="267" height="134" style="width:2.7812in;height:1.3958in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01D57230.B933BCF0"></span><span style="color:black"><img width="149" height="129" style="width:1.552in;height:1.3437in" id="Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:image003.png@01D57230.2E187890"><img width="273" height="96" style="width:2.8437in;height:1.0in" id="Picture_x0020_3" src="cid:image004.jpg@01D57230.2E187890"></span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Brent Williams-Ruth<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, September 23, 2019 3:03 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <WSBAPT@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] Refugee from 1973, told to produce marriage certificate<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Good Afternoon List - <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">I have a client who came to the United States as a refugee on October 31, 1973. They were a married couple from Laos. Husband recently passed and so surviving spouse went to social security
for her survivors benefits. They want her to produce a marriage certificate proving they were married. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Sadly, all she has is a photo of the two of them showing 1/2 and 2/2 with the same entry number (which apparently is how the United Nations established marital couples back then). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Any advice on how I can assist with this?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Thank you,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p><b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Brent Williams-Ruth</span></b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> <br>
<i>Attorney-At-Law</i></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Law Offices of Brent Williams-Ruth,
</span></b><b><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">a division of BWR Consulting, PLLC</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Office/Scheduling Phone:<span style="color:#004080"> </span>(425) 830-5134</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Direct Mobile: (206) 889-7919</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><a href="mailto:Brent@Williams-RuthLaw.com" target="_blank">e-mail</a> / <a href="http://www.Williams-RuthLaw.com/" target="_blank">website</a> /</span><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/bwrconsults" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">facebook</span></a><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> / </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><b><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:red;background:white">As of July 1, 2019 - I began operating as the Law Offices of Brent Williams-Ruth a division of BWR Consulting, PLLC. Please note the new points of contact
<a href="mailto:Brent@Williams-RuthLaw.com">Brent@Williams-RuthLaw.com</a> and <a href="http://www.Williams-RuthLaw.com" target="_blank">
www.Williams-RuthLaw.com</a> </span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
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