<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="">Thank you so much, Nick and Andrekita. I appreciate your insight.<div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">No incompetency issues, so I like the approach of assuming they are married and placing the burden on stepmom to try to say they are not. I don’t think that argument would fly.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Amy</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><div class=""><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; 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="">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 class=""><br class=""></div></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; line-height: normal;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div><br class=""><blockquote type="cite" class=""><div class="">On Nov 9, 2021, at 7:49 PM, Andrekita Silva <<a href="mailto:ak@seattle-silvalaw.com" class="">ak@seattle-silvalaw.com</a>> wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><div class="">
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" class="">
<title class=""></title>
<div style="font-family:Arial;font-size:14px" class=""><p class="">Law Office of<br class="">
<strong class="">F.ANDREKITA SILVA</strong><br class="">
<strong class="">____________________________________________ </strong><br class="">
<br class="">
<br class="">
November 9, 2021<br class="">
<br class="">
Amy,<br class="">
<br class="">
I don’t think that the failure to get a license makes the marriage void. If they ratified the marriage, I think they are married.<br class="">
<br class="">
I have divorced client’s from time to time over the years when there was a defect in the marriage (like OP hadn’t divorced first spouse). As I recall, if the marriage is ratified, the spouse who knew of the defect at the time of marriage couldn’t use that to the detriment of the innocent spouse’s disadvantage. <br class="">
[ like, you have no right to my riches because we weren’t actually married.] I believe I tried that issue before Judge Faith Ireland before she went up to the Supremes. <br class="">
<br class="">
A year or so ago, I had a client in a similar situation, she and H had a big wedding ceremony with family and friends in attendance. They applied for a license but the officiant, who was a relative, never filed certificate (or what ever is signed by the parties). So, not officially married. A year or so later they separated.<br class="">
<br class="">
H filed a paternity action (he didn’t want to pay maintenance) and we filed a divorce action. We had their paternity action dismissed.<br class="">
<br class="">
In the probate context, unless Mom is saying son was incompetent to marry, the marriage was only voidable. But not sure Mom has standing to invalidate the marriage.<br class="">
<br class="">
This is still the question about the character of the property since it was acquired before marriage. The question would be whether they were in a CIR when acquired.<br class="">
<br class="">
Anyway, I think really modest research would clarify things pretty easily. Again, this is only if no one is saying the marriage was fraudulent- undue influence, H incompetent, etc. <br class="">
<br class="">
<br class="">
andrekita<br class="">
Law Office of F. Andrekita Silva<br class="">
1325 Fourth Avenue, Suite 2000<br class="">
Seattle, Washington 98101<br class="">
206-224-8288<br class="">
<a href="http://www.seattle-silvalaw.com" class="">www.seattle-silvalaw.com</a><br class="">
<br class="">
<br class="">
<br class="">
<br class="">
<br class="">
<br class="">
<br class="">
<br class="">
<br class="">
Quoting Amy Goertz <<a href="mailto:amyjgoertz@icloud.com" class="">amyjgoertz@icloud.com</a>>:</p>
<blockquote style="border-left:2px solid blue;margin-left:2px;padding-left:12px;" type="cite" class=""><p class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class="">Good afternoon,</span></p>
<div class=""> </div>
<div class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class="">I have an interesting situation on my hands.</span></div>
<div class=""> </div>
<div class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class="">A potential client (PC) called today with the following challenging scenario:</span></div>
<div class=""> </div>
<div class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class="">PC (30 years old) was in a relationship since 2018 with a man (28 years old) who had been paralyzed in an accident in 2015. He received a settlement from the accident, which was in a bank account on which his stepmother was a co-signer to help him pay bills.</span></div>
<div class=""> </div>
<div class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class="">During their relationship, PC was his primary caretaker, and they purchased vehicles and a house. All titled in his name and likely using his settlement monies.</span></div>
<div class=""> </div>
<div class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class="">They planned to be married on his grandparents’ anniversary - August 28, 2021. They had a ceremony with a licensed officiant but they did not realize they were supposed to get a marriage license ahead of time so no official paperwork was filed. They decided to go to Idaho on October 11 (her birthday) to get hitched for real, but would continue to consider August 28 as their anniversary.</span></div>
<div class=""> </div>
<div class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class="">He died of unknown causes on October 5; she woke up to him unresponsive and could not revive him. </span></div>
<div class=""> </div>
<div class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class="">Stepmother has swooped in, says she is the “executor” of the estate (there are no estate planning documents to PC's knowledge) and has taken titles to all of the vehicles and withdrawn the funds from the bank account. She says she is “holding them” for PC.</span></div>
<div class=""> </div>
<div class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class="">I would be interested to know how you would approach this situation.</span></div>
<div class=""> </div>
<div class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class="">Thanks in advance for your insights.</span></div>
<div class=""><br class="">
<div class=""><span class=""><span id="cid:IweGSkkqT20qnVNZRUq1lVy@biz251.inmotionhosting.com"><mail.gif></span></span>
<div style="caret-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; text-decoration: none; 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="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="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=""><br class="Apple-interchange-newline">
<font face="Lucida Calligraphy" class=""><i class="">Amy</i></font></div>
<div class=""> </div>
<div class=""><font face="Lucida Calligraphy" class=""><i class="">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 style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><a href="mailto:amyjgoertz@icloud.com" class="">amyjgoertz@icloud.com</a></div>
<div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""> </div>
<div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class="">1.888.926.2607 phone<br class="">
1.877.684.1627 fax<br class="">
</div>
<div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class="">Address for correspondence:</div>
<div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class="">2829 S. Grand Blvd., Suite 303<br class="">
Spokane, WA 99203 </div>
<div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""> </div>
<div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class="">Additional office locations:</div>
<div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class="">510 Bell Street<br class="">
Edmonds, WA 98020</div>
<div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""> </div>
<div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class="">Goertz & Lambrecht PLLC</div>
<div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><a href="http://www.goertzlambrecht.com/" class="">www.goertzlambrecht.com</a></div>
</div>
<div class=""> </div>
<div class=""> </div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" style="caret-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; text-decoration: none; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; line-height: normal;">
</div>
</div>
</blockquote><p class=""><br class="">
<br class="">
<br class=""></p>
</div>
***Disclaimer: Please note that RPPT listserv participation is not restricted to practicing attorneys and may include non-practicing attorneys, law students, professionals working in related fields, and others.***<br class="">_______________________________________________<br class="">WSBAPT mailing list<br class=""><a href="mailto:WSBAPT@lists.wsbarppt.com" class="">WSBAPT@lists.wsbarppt.com</a><br class="">http://mailman.fsr.com/mailman/listinfo/wsbapt</div></blockquote></div><br class=""></div></body></html>