<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:"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:"Arial Rounded MT Bold";
panose-1:2 15 7 4 3 5 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Script MT Bold";
panose-1:3 4 6 2 4 6 7 8 9 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Chaparral Pro";}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#0563C1;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle20
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@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:11.0pt">Natalie,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">More facts are needed to try and sort this out. Paternity can be very tricky, and in some circumstances, the actions or inactions of the parties impact whether they are viewed under the law as a legal parent.
There is case law that establishes you can be tagged as a parent under certain legal presumptions and if you do not petition to disestablish paternity within certain time parameters, you are considered the legal parent even when the biology doesn’t pan out.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">I suggest that you start by finding out exactly what these two people filed acknowledging paternity in the first place, what they did after the DNA test revealed the truth, and what if any court proceedings
they participated in while he was alive regarding parentage. In the meantime, go take a look at WA’s Parentage statutes RCW 26.26 A & B.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Never a dull moment in law land!
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Script MT Bold"">Jennifer L. White, Esq.</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt">
</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Script MT Bold""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><img width="105" height="105" style="width:1.0958in;height:1.0958in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D78F7F.39A28610"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold",sans-serif"><a href="mailto:jen@appletreelaw.com"><span style="color:#0563C1;font-style:normal">jen@appletreelaw.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold",sans-serif">PO Box 11037<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold",sans-serif">Yakima, WA 98909<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold",sans-serif">509.225.9813<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style="border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Diane J. Kiepe<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, August 12, 2021 1:29 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBAPT] Can Quasi-Child (Non-Biological) be Heir under Intestacy Law?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Absent a legal adoption no child status can exist no matter how close a non-biological parent is to the child. I have seen this play out in favorable ways and in very unfortunate ways. In one case I also
have the family, by TEDRA, agree to treat the non-biological grandchild as a grandchild for purposes of specific bequest to “grandchildren”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Script MT Bold"">Diane J. Kiepe<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Script MT Bold""><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Diane J. Kiepe<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Douglas Eden<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">717 W. Sprague Ave.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Suite 1500<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Spokane, WA 99201<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><a href="mailto:djkiepe@depdslaw.com">djkiepe@depdslaw.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">509-455-5300<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style="border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt">
<a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a> <<a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Natalie Kuehler<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, August 12, 2021 1:10 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] Can Quasi-Child (Non-Biological) be Heir under Intestacy Law?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Chaparral Pro"">Hello all,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Chaparral Pro""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Chaparral Pro"">Since I got such great advise from this listserve on my last question (thank you all!), here is another one:
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Chaparral Pro""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Chaparral Pro"">D is in a relationship with M, who gets pregnant. M gives birth, and D is listed as the father on the child’s birth certificate. D and M break up, but D maintains a relationship with the child.
Later, a paternity test done by D and M reveals that D is not the child’s father after all. D nonetheless continues, every now and then, to provide financial support to the child and also generally stays involved in the child’s life. D has a new relationship,
with resulting biological children. Then D dies intestate.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Chaparral Pro""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Chaparral Pro"">Is the non-biological child an heir under Washington’s intestacy laws?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Chaparral Pro""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Chaparral Pro"">Thank you!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Chaparral Pro"">Natalie <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Chaparral Pro""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Chaparral Pro";color:#060A2E">Natalie N. Kuehler</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#060A2E"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Chaparral Pro";color:#060A2E">KUEHLER & GRIM PLLC</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#060A2E"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Chaparral Pro";color:#060A2E">PO Box 3059 – 1112 State Route 20</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#060A2E"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Chaparral Pro";color:#060A2E">Winthrop, WA 98862</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#060A2E"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Chaparral Pro";color:#060A2E">o: (509) 996-2832 x1 – c (509) 557-5769</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#060A2E"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Chaparral Pro";color:#060A2E"><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.kuehlergrim.com&d=DwMFAg&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=kDcM-fraYQNOZ1rCslLoMSSRXJQXmQVvRJbE6ymQGho&m=7iuN8s-G0-37t2nGc3D9FAsxPbSWJvkWnANVFbquSzk&s=9xsggei-kLwVq_lrf5llYvTxXlrpO8LS5Bi8b62nrm0&e="><span style="color:#060A2E">www.kuehlergrim.com</span></a></span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#060A2E"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Chaparral Pro";color:#060A2E"> </span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#060A2E"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Chaparral Pro";color:#060A2E">CONFIDENTIALITY STATEMENT: This message contains information that may be confidential and protected by the attorney-client privilege. If you received this message
in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete the message.</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#060A2E"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>