<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div class=""><font size="4" class="">Good morning, </font></div><div class=""><font size="4" class=""><br class=""></font></div><div class=""><font size="4" class="">I am taking on a new case in which the client’s brother, decedent died in Spokane in 2004. He was unmarried, no kids, and had a home in Spokane and a one-third interest (with his siblings) in Idaho property that was gifted to them by their parents. He had no Will. Mom pre-deceased but Dad was living at the time.</font></div><div class=""><font size="4" class=""><br class=""></font></div><div class=""><font size="4" class="">Client’s other brother opened a probate in Spokane County. The records show the probate was opened, Notice of Appointment filed, Affidavits of Mailing filed, and an Affidavit of Publication filed in July 2004. Then nothing.</font></div><div class=""><font size="4" class=""><br class=""></font></div><div class=""><font size="4" class="">In 2006, the Clerk sent out a Motion to Dismiss for Want of Prosecution.</font></div><div class=""><font size="4" class="">In 2007, Clerk’s Order of Dismissal was filed.</font></div><div class=""><font size="4" class=""><br class=""></font></div><div class=""><font size="4" class="">In 2011, an Order of Destruction of file was entered.</font></div><div class=""><font size="4" class=""><br class=""></font></div><div class=""><font size="4" class="">Apparently while the probate was open, the brother PR sold the decedent brother’s house and pocketed the money. No distributions were made. Since the decedent was intestate, the money should have gone to their father. </font></div><div class=""><font size="4" class=""><br class=""></font></div><div class=""><font size="4" class="">Father died in 2007. He had a trust, of which the new client is the Trustee. She says, “I need help!”</font></div><div class=""><font size="4" class=""><br class=""></font></div><div class=""><font size="4" class="">Generally, I would have thought that because this was so long ago, the statute of limitations would have passed on regaining the probate assets. However, can an argument be made that the probate remains incomplete it is still ongoing? I am thinking we would re-open the 2004 probate, have the PR removed and start an ancillary probate in Idaho to deal with that property. Any thoughts other than this is going to be messy?</font></div><div class=""><font size="4" class=""><br class=""></font></div><div class=""><font size="4" class="">Thanks in advance for your input. </font></div><div class=""><font size="4" class=""><br class=""></font></div><div class=""><font size="4" class="">Amy</font></div><div class="">
<div dir="auto" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; line-height: normal; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div class=""><font face="Lucida Calligraphy" class=""><i class=""><br class="Apple-interchange-newline">Amy J. Goertz, J.D.</i></font></div><div class=""><font face="Lucida Calligraphy" class=""><i class="">Goertz & Lambrecht PLLC</i></font></div><div class=""><div class="" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><a href="mailto:amyjgoertz@icloud.com" class="">amyjgoertz@icloud.com</a> </div><div class="" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><br class=""></div><div class="" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;">1.888.926.2607 phone<br class="">1.877.684.1627 fax<br class=""><br class=""></div><div class="" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;">Address for correspondence:</div><div class="" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;">2829 S. Grand Blvd., Suite 303<br class="">Spokane, WA 99203 </div><div class="" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><br class=""></div><div class="" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;">Additional office locations:</div><div class="" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;">510 Bell Street<br class="">Edmonds, WA 98020</div><div class="" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><br class=""></div><div class="" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;">Goertz & Lambrecht PLLC</div><div class="" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><a href="http://www.goertzlambrecht.com/" class="">www.goertzlambrecht.com</a></div></div><div class=""><br class=""></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>