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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>TEDRA is one route, but before that, is their any benefit to petitioning for instructions?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif'>W. Jeff Davis<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black'>BELL & DAVIS PLLC<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black'>Attorneys at Law</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black'><br>P.O. Box 510<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;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-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif'><a href="mailto:jeff@bellanddavispllc.com"><span style='color:#0563C1'>jeff@bellanddavispllc.com</span></a><span style='color:black'><br></span></span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><a href="http://www.bellanddavispllc.com/" target="_blank"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif'>www.bellanddavispllc.com</span></a></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black'><br> <br>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 e-mail message in error, please e-mail the sender at </span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><a href="mailto:info@bellanddavispllc.com"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif'>info@bellanddavispllc.com</span></a></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black'> or call 360.683.1129.</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'> wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Ryan Castle<br><b>Sent:</b> Friday, February 7, 2025 9:13 AM<br><b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com><br><b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] Unusual Codicil Distribution Scheme Question<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>OK this would make a good bar exam question maybe:<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>I represent a PR in a large WA testate estate. PR is daughter of deceased. No spouse. PR just appointed by court, no bond, nonintervention. Decedent executed valid Will with attorney representation. Then years later decedent executed valid codicil without assistance of attorney (!!!). The Codicil has a horrible distribution scheme that reads:<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Beneficiary 5 "to receive an amount agreed upon by" PR (also Beneficiary1), Beneficiary 2, Beneficiary 3, and Beneficiary 4 "by mutual decision. PR (Beneficiary 1) is the tie breaker."<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Beneficiary 5's gift would come out of residuary, thereby reducing gifts of other residuary beneficiaries listed in Will. Of the "voting" benes, only bene 4 is a residuary beneficiary. My concern obviously is the discretion given to my client PR who has fiduciary duties to estate/beneficiaries. I am inclined to advise that my client simply "vote" to follow the original will distribution scheme in order to adhere to her fiduciary duties. The other "voting" beneficiaries seem inclined to do the same but unsure at this point. <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Any advice on how to handle this horribly drafted clause to protect my client? Best if they all simply abstain from voting, assuming they all agree to do that? I assume the "voting" Benes should document their decision via TEDRA Agreement?<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span class=gmailsignatureprefix>-- </span><o:p></o:p></p><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Ryan Castle (he/him)<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Castle Law Firm, PLLC<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Managing Attorney<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>T: 360-592-3504<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>1313 E. Maple St., Suite 790<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Bellingham, WA 98225<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://ryancastlelawfirm.com/" target="_blank">https://ryancastlelawfirm.com/</a><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>