<div dir="auto"><div><div> Nice summary. Thank you Dalynne.</div><div><br></div><div data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div><div style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px"><p style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt"><span style="color:rgb(76,118,162);font-size:x-large;font-weight:bold">Mark C. McClure<br clear="none"></span><font color="#4c76a2" size="3"><i>Managing Attorney <br clear="none"></i></font><span style="color:navy;font-size:13.5pt">Law Office of Mark McClure, PS</span><span style="color:navy"><span style="font-size:13.5pt"><b> </b></span><span style="font-size:18px"><b><br clear="none"></b></span></span><i><span style="color:navy"><font size="2" style="background-color:inherit">"Why Retire With Debt?"<br clear="none"></font></span></i><span style="color:navy;font-size:13.5pt">1103 West Meeker Street, #101<br clear="none"></span><span style="font-size:13.5pt;color:navy">Kent</span><span style="font-size:13.5pt;color:navy">, WA 98032</span></p><div style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt"><span style="color:navy">Office: 253.631.6484 <br clear="none"></span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,51,153)">Email: <a href="mailto:Mark@McClureLawGroup.com" target="_blank">Mark@McClureLawGroup.com</a></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt"><b style="font-size:13px"><font color="#ff0000"><b style="color:rgb(0,0,0)"><font color="#ff0000"> </font></b></font></b></div><div style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt"><b><span style="color:navy">CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE:</span></b><span style="color:navy"> <span style="color:rgb(28,30,33);background-color:rgb(242,243,245)">This email contains legal stuff. If you are not the intended recipient you could get into a lot of trouble if you read it, and even more trouble if you tell someone else about it. So, the best thing to do is ignore it and forget you ever saw it. Thank you.</span> <br clear="none"></span></div></div></div></div><div><br clear="none" style="color:rgb(29,34,40);font-family:"Helvetica Neue",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px"></div></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Sat, Apr 26, 2025, 5:50 AM Dalynne Singleton <<a href="mailto:dalynne@glgmail.com">dalynne@glgmail.com</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div lang="EN-US" link="#467886" vlink="#96607D" style="word-wrap:break-word">
<div class="m_2269830063343982432WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="Book Antiqua"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">The SEA is not available to this person.<span>
</span>For the little amount of money, it would not be worth filing unless there are additional assets.<u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="Book Antiqua"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">The CIR claim is available for those that meet some factors.<span>
</span>According to Washington caselaw, a CIR is defined as a stable, marital-like relationship in which both parties live together with knowledge that a lawful marriage doesn’t exist.<span>
</span>Marriage of Pennington.<span> </span>Someone trying to prove a CIR existed must provide evidence regarding the following five factors.<span>
</span>The courts require consideration of each factor, with no one factor being conclusive.<span>
</span>Cohabitation is important and to be considered with your facts:<u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="Book Antiqua"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"><u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="Book Antiqua"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">1.<span>
</span>Continuous cohabitation:<u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><font size="4" face="Book Antiqua"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">o<span>
</span>Sporadic cohabitation – instances where parties did not live together continuously will count against this. Pennington<u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><font size="4" face="Book Antiqua"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">o<span>
</span>Periods of separation –the court will look at the ratio of months apart / months together. In re Long and Fregeau.<u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><font size="4" face="Book Antiqua"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">o<span>
</span><span class="m_2269830063343982432GramE">The</span> court will also consider disputes and inconsistencies in the dates of cohabitation to make a CIR less likely. Byerley v. Cail.<u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="Book Antiqua"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">2.<span>
</span>Duration of relationship – relationship not of sufficient duration to be considered stable and marital-like.
<u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="Book Antiqua"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">3.<span>
</span>Purpose of relationship – parties did not intend to “build a life together” in the marital sense.<span>
</span><u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="Book Antiqua"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">4.<span>
</span>Pooling of resources and services for joint projects (continuous pooling is necessary – Pennington at 604-5).<u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><font size="4" face="Book Antiqua"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">o<span>
</span><span class="m_2269830063343982432GramE">An</span> oral agreement to keep incomes and property separate, if performed, can rebut the presumption that property acquired during the relationship is community-like. In re G.W.-F., 170 Wash.App. 631, 638-39 (2012).
<u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><font size="4" face="Book Antiqua"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">o<span>
</span>Must establish with clear and convincing evidence the existence of the agreement, and that the parties mutually observed the terms of the agreement throughout the relationship. In re G.W.-F. at 638.
<u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><font size="4" face="Book Antiqua"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">o<span>
</span>If parties only commingled resources for living expenses, that can be used to undermine CIR claim as it is not pooling resources like a married couple. Chesterfield v. Nash, 96 Wash.App. 103 (1999)<u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="Book Antiqua"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">5.<span>
</span>Intent of the parties (one party’s refusal to marry, coupled with another party’s intent on marriage, does not support the existence of a mutual intent to live in a committed intimate relationship – Pennington at 604).<u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><font size="4" face="Book Antiqua"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">o<span>
</span>Wish to treat the other for all purposes as if they are spouses – Rinaldi at *7.<u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><font size="4" face="Book Antiqua"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">o<span>
</span>Mutual intent<u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="Book Antiqua"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"><u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="Book Antiqua"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">A TEDRA can be
<span class="m_2269830063343982432GramE">filed</span> and the court will examine <span class="m_2269830063343982432GramE">all of</span> the facts (through testimony and documents, etc.) in each case.<span>
</span>The girlfriend had the burden of proving a CIR.<span>
</span>However, once she provides clear and convincing evidence of the existence of a CIR, the PR would have the burden of proving the CIR didn’t exist.<span>
</span>The clear and convincing standard is a very high burden of proof.<u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="6" color="black" face="Rastanty Cortez"><span lang="DE" style="font-size:26.0pt;font-family:"Rastanty Cortez";color:black;background:white;font-weight:bold">Dalynne
Singleton</span></font></b><b><font size="6" color="black" face="Cambria"><span style="font-size:26.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:black;background:white;font-weight:bold"> </span></font></b><b><i><font size="6" face="Book Antiqua"><span style="font-size:26.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic"><u></u><u></u></span></font></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><font size="4" face="Book Antiqua"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic">Dalynne
Singleton</span></font></i></b><b><font size="4" face="Book Antiqua"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;font-weight:bold"><u></u><u></u></span></font></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="4" face="Book Antiqua"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;font-weight:bold">Gourley
Law Group<u></u><u></u></span></font></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="4" face="Book Antiqua"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;font-weight:bold">Snohomish
Escrow/The Exchange Connection<u></u><u></u></span></font></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="4" face="Book Antiqua"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;font-weight:bold">1002
10<sup>th</sup> Street / PO Box 1091<u></u><u></u></span></font></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="4" face="Book Antiqua"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;font-weight:bold">Snohomish,
WA 98291<u></u><u></u></span></font></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="4" face="Book Antiqua"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;font-weight:bold">360.568.5065<u></u><u></u></span></font></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="4" face="Book Antiqua"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;font-weight:bold">360.568.8092
fax<u></u><u></u></span></font></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="Book Antiqua"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"><a href="mailto:dalynne@glgmail.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">dalynne@glgmail.com</a>
<span> </span><u>Website: </u><a href="http://www.glglawgroup.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">www.glglawgroup.com</a><u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Book Antiqua"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">Attorney/client
meetings will be handled virtually whenever possible. If you would like to set a consultation, please call/email one my paralegals Valerie
<a href="mailto:valerie@glgmail.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">valerie@glgmail.com</a>, Kelly <a href="mailto:kelly@glgmail.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">
kelly@glgmail.com</a>, or Theresa <a href="mailto:theresa@glgmail.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">theresa@glgmail.com</a>.
<span> </span>My co-counsel is Attorney Spencer Clower with paralegal, Kristin Jacobs, for Estate litigation (<a href="mailto:spencer@glgmail.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">spencer@glgmail.com</a>
<a href="mailto:kristin@glgmail.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">kristin@glgmail.com</a>) & Carrie Ulrich and Candace Wilkerson, co-counsel in probate (<a href="mailto:carrie@glgmail.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">carrie@glgmail.com</a> and
<a href="mailto:candace@glgmail.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">candace@glgmail.com</a> ).<u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Book Antiqua"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Book Antiqua"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">LICENSED
IN WASHINGTON. IMPORTANT/CONFIDENTIAL: This e-mail message (and any attachments accompanying it) may contain confidential information, including information protected by attorney-client privilege. The information is intended only for the use of the intended
recipient(s). Delivery of this message to anyone other than the intended recipient(s) is not intended to waive any privilege or otherwise detract from the confidentiality of the message. If you are not the intended recipient, or if this message has been
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Aptos"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><img border="0" width="84" height="117" id="m_2269830063343982432_x0000_i1028" src="cid:ii_1967268d6724cdccc1"><span>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="Book Antiqua"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;font-weight:bold">From:</span></font></b><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">
<a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a> <<a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>> <b><span style="font-weight:bold">On Behalf Of
</span></b>Fern Herbert<br>
<b><span style="font-weight:bold">Sent:</span></b> Friday, April 25, 2025 2:18 PM<br>
<b><span style="font-weight:bold">To:</span></b> <a href="mailto:wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com</a><br>
<b><span style="font-weight:bold">Subject:</span></b> [WSBAPT] QUESTION ON COMMON LAW MARRIAGE AND INTESTATE PROBATE<br>
<b><span style="font-weight:bold">Importance:</span></b> High<u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Aptos"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="black" face="Aptos"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">Hello Listmates,<u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="black" face="Aptos"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="black" face="Aptos"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">Client's partner of 20 years, 6 of them living together, died intestate. No official domestic partnership. Assets
of about $67 in the bank. Does he have any right to claim in a Small Estate Affidavit under the common law, or will this just escheat to the state?<u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
</div>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="black" face="Aptos"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><u></u> <u></u></span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="black" face="Aptos"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">Any thoughts are welcome...<u></u><u></u></span></font></p>
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