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<div style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="elementToProof">
Ann,</div>
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Occasionally I have run into a judge or Commissioner Pro Tem that is not familiar with the holding in
<i>In re Estate of Starkel</i>, 134 Wn. App. 364, 134 P.3d 1197 (2006). I just point them to this decision. I wrote an article for our section newsletter back in 2020, attached beginning on page 13, discussing the legislative update which preserved the
<i>Starkel</i> precedent that witness declarations in lieu of an affidavit are acceptable for a self-proving Will.</div>
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I've probated dozens of wills with witness declarations and never had a problem. Only issue I ran into recently was an out-of-state probate court that did not accept the unnotarized Will as self-proving. I think that court got it wrong, because the Will was
validly executed in Washington and should have been admissible to probate in that state. So if you are concerned your client might move to another state, maybe the path of least resistance is to notarize it.</div>
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Best,<br>
Nick</div>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: black;"><b>Nicholas Pleasants | Shareholder</b></span></p>
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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 Ann Manley <ann@manleyfirm.com><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, October 22, 2025 4:57 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] Will witnessed but not notarized</font>
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<div>The King County Probate Policy and Procedure Manual says that the court will accept a declaration of witnesses under penalty of perjury in lieu of a signature before a notary. </div>
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<div>Has anyone had any experience contrary to this?</div>
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<div><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:10pt">Ann Manley, Esq.</span></div>
<div><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:10pt"></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:10pt">The Manley Law Firm, P.S., Inc.</span></div>
<div><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:10pt">PO Box 16324</span><br>
<span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:10pt"></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:10pt"></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:10pt">Seattle, WA 98116</span></div>
<div><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:10pt"></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:10pt"><a value="+12062923064">(206)292-3064</a> /
<a value="+12062923914">(206)292-3914</a> fax</span></div>
<div><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:10pt"><a href="http://www.manleyfirm.com" target="_blank">www.manleyfirm.com</a></span></div>
<p><b style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><i><span style="font-size:10pt; font-family:Arial,sans-serif">The Manley Law Firm practice areas include Bankruptcy*, Estate Planning, Auto Accidents, Civil Litigation, Construction, Commercial and Contract Law, Personal
injury, Small Business, Unemployment Claims, Wage Loss and Compensation claims</span></i></b><br>
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<p><i><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:8pt">* The Manley Law Firm is a Debt Relief Agency. We help people file for bankruptcy relief under the Bankruptcy Code.</span></i><i><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:10pt"></span></i></p>
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