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<div dir="ltr">For what it’s worth, I would absolutely take this position and think nothing of it. I think it’s all of the literal, plain English, textualist, purposive, “take your pick” interpretation and that you’d have no pushback from any quarter. </div>
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<div dir="ltr">Otherwise the word "any" in the first clause is total surplusage, has no independent meaning, and just makes no sense. </div>
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<div dir="ltr">Also, the remaining language doesn't implement 50/50 distribution, but only equal distribution if two relevant groups exist. That clause is simply irrelevant if there is no "other group" with which to share equally. This is consistent with the
operation of lots of other estate statutes that give shares equally without ever meaning something like "strictly fractionally."</div>
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<div dir="ltr">I say go fearlessly into the night! Best, Josh <span></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr">Joshua D. McKarcher</div>
<div dir="ltr">McKarcher Law PLLC</div>
<div dir="ltr">537 6th Street</div>
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<div dir="ltr">josh@mckarcherlaw.com</div>
<div dir="ltr"><a href="http://www.mckarcherlaw.com">www.mckarcherlaw.com</a></div>
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<div id="divRplyFwdMsg" dir="ltr"><font face="Calibri, sans-serif"><b>From:</b> wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com> on behalf of Lewis, Amy C. <ALewis@Eisenhowerlaw.com><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, September 25, 2024 3:41 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBAPT] Intestate estate question
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I think the “to those issue of any grandparent or grandparents who survive the intestate” language is the operative language, so that if any descendants of grandparents survive, they take the entire estate. The rest of the provision only applies if there are
surviving descendants on both sides. Your situation is not addressed in Reutlinger & Oltman’s Washington Law of Wills and Intestate Succession, but they do indicate that it is Washington’s policy to avoid escheat if there are legal heirs.
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<span style="font-family:'Calibri','sans-serif'">Amy Lewis, Attorney<br>
Pronouns she/her/hers<br>
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</font></font></span><span style="font-size:11pt; font-family:'Calibri','sans-serif'"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:11pt; font-family:'Calibri','sans-serif'">909 A Street, Suite 600 | Tacoma, WA 98402<br>
</span><span style="font-size:11pt; font-family:'Calibri','sans-serif'"><strong style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></strong>phone 253.572.4500 | fax 253.272.5732 |</span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt; font-family:'Calibri','sans-serif'">
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<b><span style="">From:</span></b><span style=""> wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Mimi Wagner<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, September 25, 2024 1:17 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] Intestate estate question</span></p>
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All, </p>
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I have an intestate estate question. No spouse, children, siblings, parents, grandparents. Under RCW 11.04.015(e), if the intestate are not survived by issue, either parent, issue of the parent, issue of parents, or grandparent,
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<span style="background: repeat yellow;">“then to those issue of any grandparent or grandparents who survive the intestate; taken as a group, the issue of the maternal grandparent or grandparents shall share equally with the issue of the paternal grandparent
or grandparents, also taken as a group; within each such group, all members share equally if they are all in the same degree of kinship to the intestate, or, if some be of unequal degree, then those of more remote degree shall take by representation.”</span></p>
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There appear to be NO ISSUE AT ALL from the paternal grandparent side. </p>
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There is living issue on the maternal grandparent side. </p>
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I am wondering if the paternal grandfather share (50%) ESCHEATS and the maternal grandmother share (50%) goes by intestacy. I did a quick review of case law, escheat statutes, and practice guides, and don’t find a direct answer to this. I fear that because
the statute makes a distinction between maternal and paternal side, it would seem the paternal grandfather side would escheat, rather than maternal grandmother side taking 100%. The intestacy statute doesn’t say otherwise.
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However, the statute does say “grandparent or grandparents” which may be authority for the proposition that the maternal grandmother’s share take 100%. But then the rest of the section talks about splitting the share, and them I am back to escheat for one-half.
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Does anyone know of any relevant authority in this situation? </p>
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Thank you,</p>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Mimi M. Wagner
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Wagner Law Offices P.C.</span></p>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Friday Harbor, WA 98250<br>
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