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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">I do not have a solution to your problem, but I do have some related comments.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">I have always been an advocate for the firm keeping original wills and trusts, not to generate business, but as a service to the client. It is very comforting when a client
calls and says his Mom died, to say that I have her original documents in my office.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Not everyone agrees with me. People in smaller firms worry (rightly so) about what happens when attorneys die or retire. People in medium or large firms have an easier
time.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">But at an absolute minimum, the attorney should retain a copy of all signed documents, either in hard copy or in scanned electronic copy. It is the very least you can do.
Anything less is negligent. Sorry to be so blunt, but this is a service industry.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Phil Jones<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Philip N. Jones<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Duffy Kekel LLP<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">900 S.W. Fifth Ave. Suite 2500<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Portland, OR 97204<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><a href="mailto:pjones@duffykekel.com"><span style="color:#0563C1">pjones@duffykekel.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">(503) 226-1371 – office<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">(503) 853-1482 – cell<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">(503) 226-3574 - fax<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Jeff@bellanddavispllc.com<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, September 13, 2022 1:13 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv' <wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] No Trust Document<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Listmates:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Way back, well before the turn of the century, when I started practicing law, the firm I joined had a large file cabinet full of original Wills/Trusts. It seemed like a nice way to generate work as the clients passed on the firm naturally
got to probate or administered the estate. However, we also discovered attorney’s pass on and the firm ended up needing to disburse the original documents. So we got away from that practice of keeping the originals, and instead, trusted their safe keeping
to the clients.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Well, for the third or fourth time this year, a client cannot find the original document, in this case, a living trust. Client has no copy of the trust agreement (even an unsigned copy) or even a trust certificate, nothing. (the lawyer
who created it is long dead). The house is in trust. Client is the surviving spouse. There are children, some of which the client wants to disinherit.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">What should be done? Will a title company insure the transfer of the house out of trust to the survivor? Do I just make up a new trust documents calling it a restatement. I am not sure if TEDRA is the way to go.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Your thoughts.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jeff Davis<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif">W. Jeff Davis<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">BELL & DAVIS PLLC<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">Attorneys at Law</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black"><br>
P.O. Box 510<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">720 E. Washington Street, Suite 105<br>
Sequim WA 98382<br>
Phone: (360) 683.1129 <br>
Fax: (360) 683.1258 <br>
email: </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif"><a href="mailto:jeff@bellanddavispllc.com">jeff@bellanddavispllc.com</a><span style="color:black"><br>
</span></span><a href="https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bellanddavispllc.com%2F&data=05%7C01%7Cpjones%40duffykekel.com%7Cf7e886fe9e634bbfc2f308da95c4e133%7C2d66ed5354fa4c2f8c4dbff1aca5479d%7C0%7C0%7C637986970078644699%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=TsZA05SyINf0meLZbXmqB6eAc4k6X86L%2FvEu7NlGiRQ%3D&reserved=0" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:blue">www.bellanddavispllc.com</span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black"><br>
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e-mail message in error, please e-mail the sender at </span><a href="mailto:info@bellanddavispllc.com"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:blue">info@bellanddavispllc.com</span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">
or call 360.683.1129.</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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