<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)">
<!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style><![endif]--><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Helvetica;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Verdana;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold";
panose-1:2 15 7 4 3 5 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:californian;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;
font-weight:normal;
font-style:normal;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
/* Page Definitions */
@page
{mso-endnote-separator:url("cid:header.htm\@01D6A91E.4797EBE0") es;
mso-endnote-continuation-separator:url("cid:header.htm\@01D6A91E.4797EBE0") ecs;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang="EN-US" link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style="word-wrap:break-word">
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif">I have a potential client who is the daughter of the decedent. She has an attorney to assist her with the wrongful death claims on behalf of her and her sister and have asked
me to open probate, appoint her as Administrator and assist with gathering her father’s assets. The father was legally separated from the step-mother at time of his death and there was an Order in LS dividing assets and debts.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:red">Upon death, since it is intestacy, is the probate court bound by the legal separation order or is it null and void upon death?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif">I had this come up recently in another probate in Snohomish in which the parties were legally separated but there was NO order of division of property. The Judge ruled against
my client (widow) that the LS division of property as presented in the Petition for LS bound the widow to no interest in the property after death of</span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif"> the husband. My research had not provided
me with this answer:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black">At death of a spouse, the community is dissolved and former community property becomes separate property of decedent’s
estate and of the surviving spouse, and decedent’s one-half interest is subject to testamentary disposition.</span> <i><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black">Matter of Estate of Politoff</span></i><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black">,
36 Wash. App. 424, 674 P.2d 687 (1984); Marriage And Cohabitation. Any property or assets which were community property prior to Richard O’s death shall be determined to be 50/50 spousal property upon the death of Richard O. No evidence to the contrary has
been provided and as such, 50% of these former community property assets belong to Barbara O by right. The remaining 50% of CP shall pass according to Richard O’s Will pursuant to RCW 11.84.040.</span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Dalynne Singleton<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;color:#1F497D">Gourley Law Group<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;color:#1F497D">Snohomish Escrow<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;color:#1F497D">The Exchange Connection<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">1002 10<sup>th</sup> Street Box 13<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">PO Box 1091<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Snohomish, WA 98291<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">360.568.5065<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">360.329.4079<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">360.568.8092 fax<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold",sans-serif;color:#0563C1"><a href="mailto:dalynne@glgmail.com"><span style="color:#0563C1">dalynne@glgmail.com</span></a></span></u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Due to COVID-19, I am working remotely. As a result, I cannot accept any physical messenger service at this time. Please email all pleadings and agreed upon service documents
to my email. In-person meetings are not possible at this time. Email is the best way to reach me until further notice. If you would like a telephone or Zoom conference, please email my probate paralegal
<a href="mailto:theresa@glgmail.com"><span style="color:blue">theresa@glgmail.com</span></a> or my personal injury paralegal
<a href="mailto:dara@glgmail.com"><span style="color:blue">dara@glgmail.com</span></a> to set such conference.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Thank you very much and stay safe!</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:californian;color:black">LICENSED IN WASHINGTON AND OREGON</span></i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:californian;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">IMPORTANT/CONFIDENTIAL: This e-mail message (and any attachments accompanying it) may contain confidential information, including information protected by attorney-client
privilege. The information is intended only for the use of the intended recipient(s). Delivery of this message to anyone other than the intended recipient(s) is not intended to waive any privilege or otherwise detract from the confidentiality of the message.
If you are not the intended recipient, or if this message has been addressed to you in error, do not read, disclose, reproduce, distribute, disseminate or otherwise use this transmission, rather, please promptly notify the sender by reply e-mail, and then
destroy all copies of the message and its attachments, if any.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><img border="0" width="84" height="120" style="width:.875in;height:1.25in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01D6A91C.54137CB0"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"> </span></b><span style="color:black"><img border="0" width="155" height="120" style="width:1.6145in;height:1.25in" id="Picture_x0020_3" src="cid:image002.png@01D6A91C.54137CB0"></span><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">
</span></b><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.superlawyers.com_redir-3Fr-3Dhttp-3A__www.superlawyers.com_washington_lawyer_Gary-2DManca_ca059d21-2D1b6e-2D4fca-2Db396-2D80c253f82402.html-26c-3Demail-5FSmall-5Fbadge-26i-3Dca059d21-2D1b6e-2D4fca-2Db396-2D80c253f82402&d=DwMGaQ&c=4VfW4Y7UDKzr0jHM1Tk29w&r=wJy-5dBh2e8cdp8KTDyWsjq7WPfG_HRNpImWO5yfs2A&m=FCmO2jSMMhwxfYb-8WN5A3L-M6GKeJ_8gc6cS3vECHM&s=z2j9M4GPJAL7pempIOe0TGAPkMWrzXJSlY1lyMRDlRg&e=" title=""Visit the official website of Super Lawyers" "><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:blue;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="100" height="32" style="width:1.0416in;height:.3333in" id="Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:image003.png@01D6A91C.54137CB0" alt="Rated by Super Lawyers"></span></a><span style="color:#1F497D"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black">
</span><span style="color:black"><img border="0" width="133" height="117" style="width:1.3854in;height:1.2187in" id="Picture_x0020_4" src="cid:image004.png@01D6A91C.54137CB0"></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>