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<p class="MsoNormal">I agree with Nick. Though the surviving almost ex-spouse’s non-economic damage claim will be severely curtailed (after all, how much loss of care, companionship & love can you claim if you were in the process of kicking them to the curb),
they may still have a robust economic damage claim. I can see that in a situation where they (SS) were anticipating receiving years-worth of spousal maintenance, which they are not if their almost ex is now deceased.
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Script MT Bold"">Jennifer L. White, Esq.</span>
<span style="font-family:"Script MT Bold""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:jen@appletreelaw.com"><span style="font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold",sans-serif;color:#0563C1">jen@appletreelaw.com</span></a><i><span style="font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold",sans-serif">2200 S 76<sup>th</sup> Ave<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold",sans-serif">Yakima, WA 98903<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold",sans-serif">509.225.9813<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>Nick Pleasants<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, April 17, 2023 10:28 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv' <wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com>; 'KCBA Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Discussion List' <realpropertyprobatetrustlaw@lists.kcba.org><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBAPT] Wrongful Death - Divorce not Final<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">Potentially the parents could claim under RCW 4.20.020 if the spouse is disallowed and there are no children. However, I tend to believe that the spouse maintains the right
if the divorce is not finalized.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p style="background:white"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">Nicholas Pleasants | Shareholder</span></b><span style="color:#242424"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:white;text-align:start"><b><span style="color:black"> </span></b><span style="color:#242424"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black">From:</span></b><span style="color:black">
</span><a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a><span style="color:black"> <</span><a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a><span style="color:black">> on behalf of
Heather de Vrieze <</span><a href="mailto:heatherd@westseattlelaw.com">heatherd@westseattlelaw.com</a><span style="color:black">><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, April 17, 2023 8:54 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv' <</span><a href="mailto:wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com</a><span style="color:black">>; 'KCBA Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Discussion List' <</span><a href="mailto:realpropertyprobatetrustlaw@lists.kcba.org">realpropertyprobatetrustlaw@lists.kcba.org</a><span style="color:black">><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] Wrongful Death - Divorce not Final</span> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">My recollection is that when a couple has filed for divorce, but that divorce is not final, they are still married for the purposes of RCW 11.04.
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">The assets of the decedent would still be community property.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Question: Would the beneficiaries of a wrongful death action be the not yet ex-spouse, or is it possible to argue that such an action may recover for the parents of the deceased, if there were no children?</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Heather</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><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</span></i><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Nyala;color:#44524E">3909 California Avenue SW</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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