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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">I am curious about how much searching to do for potential heirs for notice only.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Decedent had a Will drafted and executed 10 years prior to her death, by an attorney, giving her entire estate to the same person she named as her Personal Representative. This beneficiary happens to be the
son of her ex-husband, who was born after their relationship (so not technically his step-mom). The Will recites that decedent is single and has no children.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">In searching for relatives to provide notice of the probate and appointment of Personal Representative, we have been able to determine that our decedent was an only child (at least on mom’s side) whose mother
died when she was a child, it appears that her mother’s parents may have adopted her as she is listed in their obituaries as a surviving child and they are listed as her parents on a death certificate from 25 years ago (she was born in 1935).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">So far research has uncovered these documents and obituaries, but no definite record of an adoption. It is also undetermined if her birth father had children after her mother’s death. Having spent some considerable
dollars investigating so far, I’m needing to advise my client about the most reasonable course of action. If he stops the research, they aren’t prepared to confirm that he has exercised due diligence yet to track down heirs, and want several thousand dollars
more to keep digging. This is probably the safest course of action, since if he doesn’t find and notify the intestate heirs, he may have to fight this later. On the other hand, client may not want to keep spending money just so some unknown relatives can get
notice that they aren’t getting anything. Heirs are either biological ½ siblings (or their descendants) or descendants of adoptive siblings (biological cousins or their offspring).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Interested if anyone has experience or recent research into the issue of how much is enough (or not enough).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Heather<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Vladimir Script";color:#1F497D">Heather S. de Vrieze</span><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;color:#1F497D"><br>
</span></b><i><span style="font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:#1F497D">Attorney-at-Law<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:#1F497D"><img width="189" height="105" style="width:1.9701in;height:1.0895in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D8063D.7EE10F00"></span></i><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Nyala;color:#44524E">3909 California Avenue SW<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Nyala;color:#44524E">Seattle, WA 98116-3705
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Nyala;color:#44524E">(206)938-5500
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:heatherd@westseattlelaw.com"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Nyala;color:#44524E">heatherd@westseattlelaw.com</span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Nyala;color:#44524E">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.westseattlelaw.com/"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Nyala;color:#44524E">www.westseattlelaw.com</span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Nyala;color:#44524E">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#002E8A">Click here to connect with de Vrieze | Carney on Facebook:
</span></b><b><span style="color:#1F497D"> </span></b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/DeVriezeCarney"><b><span style="color:blue;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="72" height="21" style="width:.7537in;height:.2164in" id="Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:image002.png@01D8063D.7EE10F00" alt="FB Logo"></span></b></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;color:#A6A6A6"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;color:#A6A6A6">CONFIDENTIAL & PRIVILEGED. This e-mail message may contain legally privileged and/or confidential information. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender immediately
and delete all copies of this e-mail message and any attachment.</span><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:blue"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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