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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Witness attestation to the Will does not need to be notarized. See
<i>In re Estate of Starkel</i>, 134 P.3d 1197, 134 Wn. App. 364 (Wash. App. 2006). Declaration is adequate to admit a Will. I have not heard of any problems in Snohomish County on this issue. And the legislature has enacted a fix, which the governor has signed,
to permanently codify this issue. See SB 6028 Sec. 23 (<a href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=6028&Year=2019">https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=6028&Year=2019</a>), which will be effective tomorrow, June 11, 2020! Professor Karen
Boxx and Senator Jamie Pedersen led an effort to fix this potential issue. The bill amends RCW 5.50.030 (<a href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=5.50.030">https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=5.50.030</a>) to delete sub (2)(e). The effect
is that an unsworn declaration should suffice to authenticate a Will.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Best,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Nick <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#2B6AA4;position:relative;top:0pt;mso-text-raise:0pt">Nicholas Pleasants</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;position:relative;top:0pt;mso-text-raise:0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;position:relative;top:0pt;mso-text-raise:0pt">Pleasants Law Firm, P.S.<br>
2300 130th Ave NE, Suite A-101<br>
Bellevue, WA 98005-1755<br>
(425) 615-7070 tel/fax<br>
<a href="mailto:nick@pleasantslaw.com"><span style="color:#00006A">nick@pleasantslaw.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black">From: </span></b><span style="color:black"><wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com> on behalf of Dennis Burman <dburman@premier1.net><br>
<b>Reply-To: </b>WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Date: </b>Wednesday, June 10, 2020 at 10:55 AM<br>
<b>To: </b>'WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv' <wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject: </b>[WSBAPT] declaration of witnesses to wills in Snohomish County<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Do any of the commissioners have an issue with declarations of witnesses rather than affidavits of witnesses being presented in support of wills? Thanks.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Dennis Lee Burman</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">PO Box 1620</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Marysville, WA 98270</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">(360) 657-3332</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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