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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">This doesn’t necessarily fix your timing problem, but FWIW you don’t need to open a probate in order to clear a deceased person’s heirs off title. A “reasonable diligence” search
for heirs is needed, in order to name them if you can figure it out (I hire a genealogist typically, cheaper than an heir search company). Name the known heirs as defendants, and then also include “unknown heirs and devisees of decedent X” as a defendant.
Then you can serve those “unknown heirs and devisees” by publication after getting the court’s permission under
<a href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=4.28.140">RCW 4.28.140</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">On at least one occasion, the known heirs that I was able to find collectively signed an affidavit confirming that they were in fact
<i>all</i> of the heirs/devisees of the decedent; and so QCDs from them were sufficient for the title company to agree to remove the exception, without a quiet title action to deal with “unknown heirs.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">I have found that known heirs that I contact tend to be cooperative (or bribable) and have signed quitclaim deeds or stipulations to quiet title, so the lawsuit has boiled down
to getting permission to serve unknown heirs by publication of summons, publishing and waiting out the 60 days, and then taking a default and entering a default judgment. Maybe with one known heir who is missing or an uncooperative holdout, who needs to be
personally served.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">Eric<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">Eric C. Nelsen<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">Sayre Law Offices, PLLC<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">1417 31st Ave South<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">Seattle WA 98144-3909<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">206-625-0092<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif"><a href="mailto:eric@sayrelawoffices.com"><span style="color:#467886">eric@sayrelawoffices.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Inge Fordham<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, February 16, 2024 8:30 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBAPT] Lawsuit to Quiet Title against Deceased Partners<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">The title company in this case is of no help and it’s too late to switch. They are demanding a quiet title action. I was hoping to avoid publication because of the 60-day publication window. There’s a pending
sale of the property in question and my client is anxious to close. It seems that since the three partners died after their rights expired under the agreement, there was nothing that could have passed to the heirs. Rights expired in 2012 (it’s in black and
white in the agreement). One died in 2014, one in 2018, and one in 2023. Can’t the court issue a ruling that their rights expired prior to death (eliminating the need to sue heirs or the estate)? It just seems like a waste of time and money.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:3.0pt"><b><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:#203864">Inge A. Fordham | Attorney</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:3.0pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:black">Fordham Law, PLLC</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:3.0pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:black">3218 Sixth Avenue | Tacoma, WA 98406</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:3.0pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:black">Office: (253) 348-2657 | Mobile: (206) 778-3131</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:3.0pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:black"><a href="http://www.fordhamlegal.com">www.fordhamlegal.com</a></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:5.0pt;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:#7D888E">Confidential Communication:</span></b><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:#7D888E"> This email is sent to a recipient on behalf of an
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:black">From:
</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:black"><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>>
on behalf of <a href="mailto:Jeff@bellanddavispllc.com">Jeff@bellanddavispllc.com</a> <<a href="mailto:Jeff@bellanddavispllc.com">Jeff@bellanddavispllc.com</a>><br>
<b>Date: </b>Friday, February 16, 2024 at 6:34 AM<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] Lawsuit to Quiet Title against Deceased Partners<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">In situations like this, I ask the Title company what do they want to clear title. It seems unfair to make you open probate for all three of the deceased parties; how would you do that? You do not the deceased
person’s heirs, how to contact them. The one living party might be able to help but at this late stage, why? Why not file the quiet title action in the county were the land is located; personally serve the living party, if you know their location, and get
a court order to publish for the rest. Title companies can be a help in this area if they want.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Jeff Davis<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif">W. Jeff Davis</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">BELL & DAVIS PLLC</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">Attorneys at Law</span></b><span style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black"><br>
P.O. Box 510</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="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-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif"><a href="mailto:jeff@bellanddavispllc.com">jeff@bellanddavispllc.com</a><span style="color:black"><br>
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The information contained in this e-mail message may be privileged, confidential, and protected from disclosure. If you are not the intended recipient, any dissemination, distribution, or copying is strictly prohibited. If you think that you have received this
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or call 360.683.1129.</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt">
<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>Inge Fordham<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, February 15, 2024 4:19 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> [WSBAPT] Lawsuit to Quiet Title against Deceased Partners<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Colleagues,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">I need to file a quiet title lawsuit to remove a cloud on title created by a Defeasance Agreement recorded back in 1992. The persons with the defeasance rights (H & W and H2 & W2, acting as a Washington partnership
– no entity formed) had 20 years to exercise their rights and did not exercise their rights. Title company won’t recognize the fact that they have no further rights under the Defeasance Agreement and asked us to commence a quiet title action. Three of the
four partners are deceased (and passed after the 20-year period expired). The fourth is alive and I have contact information. I believe she’ll cooperate and stipulate to quiet title. I’ve always believed that to extinguish a deceased individual’s rights,
probate must be commenced. However, the rights of all three persons who are now deceased to act under the defeasance agreement expired before they died (and therefore, by operation of law, nothing passed to their respective estates). Can I file suit against
the four individuals, identify them as deceased, and the one living partner without commencing probate? There is (of course) a pending sale and time is of the essence. Opening probate for the three deceased members would be a nightmare.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Thoughts?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Thanks,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:3.0pt"><b><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:#203864">Inge A. Fordham | Attorney</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:3.0pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:black">Fordham Law, PLLC</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:3.0pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:black">3218 Sixth Avenue | Tacoma, WA 98406</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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