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I second this. Just not worth it in my view to combine.</div>
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<b>Joshua McKarcher</b></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><i>Attorney, Owner</i><br>
McKarcher Law PLLC<br>
o: (509) 758-3345<br>
</span><span style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><a href="mailto:josh@mckarcherlaw.com" data-outlook-id="4dfa75f5-a8c0-4cd4-b421-11237d5e2d46" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><u>josh@mckarcherlaw.com</u></a></span></div>
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<b>From: </b>wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com> on behalf of Ryan Castle <ryan@ryancastlelawfirm.com><br>
<b>Date: </b>Monday, June 1, 2026 at 7:04 AM<br>
<b>To: </b>WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject: </b>Re: [WSBAPT] Need Feedback RE "Double" Probate<br>
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I don't do double probates for this reason. You never know what you're going to get from the court because there is no authority on point either way, that I am aware of. Sure, it is an extra filing fee, but worth avoiding the risk of headache and more fees
down the line to clean it up. You could try lack of probate affidavit for spouse 1, but some title companies have trouble with that. I just keep it clean and kosher with two separate probates. I explain these options to my clients and they always want to go
the clean and kosher route to avoid risk. </div>
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<div class="gmail_attr" style="direction: ltr;">On Sun, May 31, 2026 at 1:58 PM Diane Kiepe <<a href="mailto:diane@kiepelaw.com" data-outlook-id="4e1cd3a9-10f6-4ac6-a41b-498207a63832">diane@kiepelaw.com</a>> wrote:</div>
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<div class="gmail_default" style="direction: ltr; font-size: 13.5pt;">Oh my - I have done it but I also completed two separate filings in one of my cases because of creditor claim issues. I haven't received pushback to date but you never know what will come
from the bench.</div>
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Diane Kiepe</div>
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Kiepe Estate and Probate, PLLC</div>
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<a href="mailto:diane@kiepelaw.com" target="_blank" data-outlook-id="fe2a328b-516b-4569-afc4-ef60c500d13a">diane@kiepelaw.com</a></div>
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200 N. Mullan Rd., Suite 203</div>
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Spokane Valley, WA 99206</div>
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509-280-6414</div>
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<div class="gmail_attr" style="direction: ltr;">On Sun, May 31, 2026 at 12:07 PM James Dolan <<a href="mailto:jbdolan@jbdolan.com" target="_blank" data-outlook-id="4928c927-6c88-4e69-87c7-bdf75e6eed86">jbdolan@jbdolan.com</a>> wrote:</div>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: rgb(14, 40, 65);">I’m recalling that this topic has been discussed some time ago on this listserv:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: rgb(14, 40, 65);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: rgb(14, 40, 65);">Spouse 1 dies intestate. All finances are jointly owned or have Spouse 2 named as Beneficiary. Their house is jointly owned Community Property. Spouse
1 has no children. No probate. Spouse 2 goes on living for another 7 years.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: rgb(14, 40, 65);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: rgb(14, 40, 65);">Spouse 2 dies testate.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: rgb(14, 40, 65);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: rgb(14, 40, 65);">We attempt to open probate in the name of both Spouse 1 and Spouse 2 for the purpose of having PR appointed to sell the house. I have done this 10-12
times over the past 20 years with no problem. Until last Friday. Judge says judge has conducted judge’s own research and cannot find any legal authority that allows a double probate. I ask the judge if the judge has found any legal authority that prohibits
it. Nope. I inform the judge that I have done this several times. Judge says “Because ‘you’ve done it before’ doesn’t mean it is appropriate.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: rgb(14, 40, 65);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: rgb(14, 40, 65);">Another attorney who is present on a different matter graciously attempts to rescue me, spontaneously approaches the bench and informs the court, on
the record, that this attorney has also done research on this question, has found no case law or statutes on point, and further informs the court that she also has done several double probates with no problem.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: rgb(14, 40, 65);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: rgb(14, 40, 65);">I ask the judge what alternatives the judge thinks would be appropriate. The judge says that the PR can do a Lack of Probate Affidavit to convey the
real property from Spouse 1 to Spouse 2. I ask the judge what would be the benefit of doing it that way. (Full disclosure – at this point I may have sounded a bit irritated.) Judge ignores my question and calls the next case.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: rgb(14, 40, 65);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: rgb(14, 40, 65);">My questions for all of you smarter than me people:</span></p>
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<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;">
<li style="color: rgb(14, 40, 65); margin-left: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;" role="presentation">Have any of you done this before?</span></li><li style="color: rgb(14, 40, 65); margin-left: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;" role="presentation">If so, have you ever encountered resistance from the bench?</span></li></ol>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: rgb(14, 40, 65);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: rgb(14, 40, 65);">Thanks for your thoughts.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: rgb(14, 40, 65);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: rgb(14, 40, 65);">Jim Dolan</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: rgb(14, 40, 65);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: rgb(14, 40, 65);">=========================</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: rgb(14, 40, 65);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: rgb(14, 40, 65);">Jones Butler Dolan, PS</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: rgb(14, 40, 65);">P.O. Box 458</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: rgb(14, 40, 65);">10027 SR 532</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: rgb(14, 40, 65);">Stanwood, WA 98292</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: rgb(14, 40, 65);">(tel) 360-336-2939</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; color: rgb(14, 40, 65);">(fax) 360-336-2949</span></p>
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<div class="gmail_signature" style="direction: ltr;">Ryan Castle </div>
<div class="gmail_signature" style="direction: ltr;">Castle Law Firm, PLLC</div>
<div class="gmail_signature" style="direction: ltr;">Managing Attorney</div>
<div class="gmail_signature" style="direction: ltr;">T: 360-592-3504</div>
<div class="gmail_signature" style="direction: ltr;">1313 E. Maple St., Suite 790</div>
<div class="gmail_signature" style="direction: ltr;">Bellingham, WA 98225</div>
<div class="gmail_signature" style="direction: ltr;"><a href="https://ryancastlelawfirm.com/" target="_blank" data-outlook-id="f1b56d39-547b-419c-aa98-f559e230bf5e">https://ryancastlelawfirm.com/</a></div>
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