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Agree with Phil that this is a delicate issue for the reasons expressed.</div>
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I lean toward counsel being present because you won't be provided a copy of the APS Report until subpoenaed in litigation which is inevitable. </div>
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The question is whether you want to be that lawyer. There will be litigation and you could become a potential witness to impeach the APS conclusions. You will also be a witness to defend the likely Will contest.</div>
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You will be attacked in a later deposition or trial and, as Phil says, cannot have represented the spouse. Road kill if you do. You cannot be in a position where the spouse can testify that she had any reasonable impression that you were representing both. </div>
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About five years ago, I sat in such an interview with an APS person and a Detective from the local law enforcement conducting a joint interview of my elderly client. <span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I
positioned myself behind the two questioners but with eye contact to my client. I was very quiet to avoid an argument that I was influential in the interview. Twice I asked the police detective to rephrase the question, otherwise radio silence. Luckily for
my client (and me,) he really delivered the goods and both investigations were dropped. </span></div>
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When I was young, I had many GAL appointments. Occasionally, I had a lawyer show up at the GAL interview. I never objected. The lawyer would proceed pretty much as I described above for my client.</div>
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Lots to ponder prior to making your move.</div>
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Good luck.</div>
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Bruce Moen </div>
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<div id="divRplyFwdMsg" dir="ltr"><font face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size:11pt" color="#000000"><b>From:</b> wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com> on behalf of Paul Neumiller <pneumiller@hotmail.com><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, August 17, 2023 10:36 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] Eminent Adult Protective Services Visit</font>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Listmates: Waaaay out of my wheel house. Recently remarried elderly client meets with me to change his estate planning. He wants to provide for his new wife (not everything,
just a portion of his estate). Adult children from a previous marriage (and trust babies) from CA have called the local Adult Protective Services and APS want to talk to my client (APS left a business card on my client’s front door last night). Trust babies
have an attorney in CA who argues to me that some documents are forged and that my client is senile and that the new wife is taking advantage of my client. I personally feel the client is competent. My initial reaction is for the client to meet with APS
and answer whatever questions APS has. APS will probably want to interview my client without the new spouse in the room. Should I be in the room?
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<p class="x_MsoNormal"><a name="x_Paul_A__Neumiller"><span style=""><img width="250" height="150" id="x__x0000_i1025" style="width:2.6in; height:1.5583in" data-outlook-trace="F:1|T:1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D9D0F5.FE0B5220"></span></a><span style=""></span></p>
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