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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><a name="_MailEndCompose">All the talk today about clearing title for married surviving spouses got me hoping I might get a few people’s thoughts on the best way to clear title for a surviving ex-spouse. Any ideas? <o:p></o:p></a></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I have a client wishing to remove her deceased ex-spouse from title on a piece of undeveloped real estate. The divorce paperwork, drafted in the early 1980s, has an error where it refers to the property ambiguously in the list of assets to be given to the wife, and the exhibit purportedly containing the legal description describes a different property (they had at least three parcels of real estate to divide up). The parties both behaved as though this particular piece of property belonged to the wife after the divorce, and it was a surprise to recently learn his name is still on title.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The ex-spouse died about 10 years ago, leaving a pour-over will naming one of their daughters as PR. He did set up a RLT about a year before passing away, and the only beneficiaries are his daughters and my client (the ex-wife(!)). Apparently his estate was actually quite small and was never probated.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Question: what is the simplest way to quiet title in the surviving ex-wife? It would not be easy to prove she was intended to receive it in the divorce after all this time, except by the parties’ actions (she has paid the property tax) which seems to me not enough. Husband passed, so he cannot sign a QCD for it. Can the PR daughter sign a QCD on behalf of the ex’s estate? Or can/should both daughters sign over their inherited interest in to her? Or, worst case, must we do a probate to pass his interest to the heirs?<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thanks in advance,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Sara Longley<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><img width=23 height=27 id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D5AAB1.FD2EE560" alt="cid:image001.jpg@01D1F8A6.19C81E60"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Century",serif'>Sara D. Longley, J.D., LL.M.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Century",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Century",serif'>L</span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Century",serif'>ONGLEY</span><span style='font-family:"Century",serif'> L</span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Century",serif'>AW</span><span style='font-family:"Century",serif'> PLLC <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Century",serif'>1734 NW Market Street<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Century",serif'>Seattle, WA 98107<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="tel:%28206%29%20434-5644" target="_blank"><span style='font-family:"Century",serif'>(206) 434-5644</span></a><span style='font-family:"Century",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:Sara@longley-law.pro" target="_blank"><span style='font-family:"Century",serif'>Sara@Longley-law.pro</span></a><span style='font-family:"Century",serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.longley-law.pro/" target="_blank"><span style='font-family:"Century",serif'>www.longley-law.pro</span></a><span style='font-family:"Century",serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>ATTENTION CLIENTS: I am in the process of merging my law firm into Ivy Law Group, PLLC. Over the next few months my web site will redirect to <a href="http://www.ivylawgroup.com">www.ivylawgroup.com</a> and I will begin emailing from <a href="mailto:Sara@ivylawgroup.com">Sara@ivylawgroup.com</a>. My existing email address and telephone number will continue to function and my physical office location will not change. I look forward to serving you in the coming years.<span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>This email is intended only for the individual to whom it is addressed and may contain information that is privileged, confidential, and/or exempt from disclosure. If you have received this message in error, please inform the sender by telephone or reply email and delete this message and all attachments. Thank you.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>