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<p class="MsoNormal">Ouster is really difficult to prove against a cotenant because occupancy of the whole property is the right of every cotenant, so exclusive use isn’t automatically adverse. There has to be a provable definitive act of exclusion that is
communicated to the cotenant not in possession, so they understand they’re being excluded and their ownership claim rejected.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It can be done on the right facts, but it’s tough. The <u>Nicholas v. Cousins</u> case is helpful to read on ouster also, because it goes through various scenarios on what is necessary to prove ouster against, say, a cotenant who doesn’t
even know they own the interest (because inherited under unusual circumstances) versus a cotenant who does know.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Eric<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Eric C. Nelsen<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sayre Law Offices, PLLC<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">1417 31st Ave South<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Seattle WA 98144-3909<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">206-625-0092<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:eric@sayrelawoffices.com"><span style="color:#0563C1">eric@sayrelawoffices.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></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>Bryce Dille<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, July 27, 2023 10:45 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBAPT] Probate Including Real Property Owned as Tenancy-in-Common, Other Tenant Predeceased Decedent and No Identified Heirs or Estate<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt">Can you argue ouster against the other tenant in common exclusive use and possession plus payment of taxes for in excess of ten years to gain adverse possession interested since I have that situation<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Bryce H. Dille <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Dille Law, PLLC<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Office: 360-350-0270<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Cell: 253-579-5561<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">** Please note that I use the dictation feature of my iPhone and that sometimes everything I say does not get properly translated**<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><br>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt">On Jul 27, 2023, at 5:19 PM, Eric Nelsen <<a href="mailto:eric@sayrelawoffices.com">eric@sayrelawoffices.com</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Watch out for the color of title requirement in order to assert adverse possession by payment of taxes for 7 years under RCW 7.28.070. I just did research recently on that point and being a tenant in common on title isn’t sufficient to
show “color of title in good faith” to the <b><i>other</i></b> TIC owner’s interest.
<u>See</u> <u>Nicholas v. Cousins</u>, 1 Wn.App. 133, 459 P.2d 970 (1969). There needs to be some kind of instrument of record, however bogus, that appears to give title solely to the plaintiff.
<u>See</u> <u>Scramlin v. Warner</u>, 69 Wn.2d 6, 416 P.2d 699 (1966).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Partition probably would work? The tricky bit will be naming defendants—can’t sue the estate of the other deceased owner because there’s no PR, and you don’t have any names of potential heirs or devisees. Will need due diligence to support
an affidavit under RCW 4.28.140, name “unknown heirs” and get the court’s permission to serve by publication.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Even finding one heir at law to the other decedent might be worth it—gives you somebody to serve and/or gain cooperation from, and gives the court better confidence that service by publication isn’t just a procedural grab for ownership
of the whole property. Could use a genealogist instead of an investigator, since you know the actual owner is deceased.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Eric<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Eric C. Nelsen<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sayre Law Offices, PLLC<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">1417 31st Ave South<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Seattle WA 98144-3909<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">206-625-0092<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:eric@sayrelawoffices.com">eric@sayrelawoffices.com</a><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> <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>Matt Yates<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, July 27, 2023 4:37 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <<a href="mailto:wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBAPT] Probate Including Real Property Owned as Tenancy-in-Common, Other Tenant Predeceased Decedent and No Identified Heirs or Estate<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thank you, Mark. That does seem like the path we will choose but I wanted to ensure that I wasn’t missing another option.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Cheers,<br>
Matt<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<div style="border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> <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>Mark Anderson<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, July 27, 2023 3:41 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <<a href="mailto:wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBAPT] Probate Including Real Property Owned as Tenancy-in-Common, Other Tenant Predeceased Decedent and No Identified Heirs or Estate<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#002060">Did Decedent pay property taxes for the home in addition to the mortgage loan? If so, it sounds like you may have met the statutory requirements for an adverse
possession claim. If so, I recommend proceeding with a quiet title action.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#002060"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#222A35">Mark B. Anderson<br>
</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#222A35">ANDERSON LAW FIRM PLLC<br>
821 Dock St Ste 209 PMB 4-12<br>
Tacoma, Washington 98402<br>
+1 253-327-1750<br>
+1 253-327-1751 (fax)<br>
<a href="mailto:marka@mbaesq.com"><span style="color:blue">marka@mbaesq.com</span></a><br>
<a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.mbaesq.com_&d=DwMFAg&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=ZjJT61sMYHYXW1a7W0qvaz-zO3o_Ea2RRxXvW5Yr3-0&m=O2V-lNokwUkR0w91WxItSeKlnE0d95khmzkFQiDpiu-9aXKmwG_8uQBRlE6TdlPs&s=jYe3yINAxniDQOqAlTqsS0M__LCEBdcX31fxfiXpIow&e="><span style="color:blue">www.mbaesq.com</span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow",sans-serif;color:#002060">CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE<br>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> <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>Matt Yates<br>
<b>Sent:</b> 07/27/2023 11:10 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] Probate Including Real Property Owned as Tenancy-in-Common, Other Tenant Predeceased Decedent and No Identified Heirs or Estate<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In probate proceeding, Decedent was Tenant-in-Common in home and other tenant who predeceased Decedent by about 8 years. Predeceased tenant has no known heirs at law to PR but it is certainly possible that cousins or other distant relatives
exist. PR for the estate is interested in liquidating the real property, for which there is an applicable mortgage loan, but I am unsure of how to sell. I anticipate that title company will want some kind of resolution before issuing a policy and, indeed,
some portion of the proceeds belong to the estate of predeceased tenant-in-common (probably unequal portions since Decedent continued to pay mortgage loan after death of predeceased tenant). I have proposed to PR using a private investigator to try to find
potential heirs of predeceased tenant-in-common but PR has not made a decision on that yet.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This seems distinct to me from an absent distributee so I am thinking that partition or even quiet title might be the answer to enable sale of the property. Anybody have any experience with similar circumstances?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Matt<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Matthew D. Yates</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Attorney at Law</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Yates Marshall, PLLC</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">10000 NE 7th Avenue, Suite 200</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Vancouver, WA 98685</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Phone: (360) 449-6100</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Fax: (360) 449-6111</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><a href="mailto:matt@yatesmarshall.com"><span style="color:blue">matt@yatesmarshall.com</span></a>
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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