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<div style="font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,helvetica,sans-serif;">Ooops lol! That should have read "Would small estate work without the surviving spouse involved other than providing notice?"</div>
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<div class="default-style">On 07/28/2026 8:01 AM PDT Jordan Kostelyk <jordan@everlastinglegalsolutions.com> wrote:</div>
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<div style="font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,helvetica,sans-serif;">Thank you for the responses.</div>
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<div class="default-style" style="font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,helvetica,sans-serif;">It is the adult child who has the phone. The surviving spouse gave it to the adult child. The adult child had a lot of grief and was not able to attempt to get into the phone previously. </div>
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<div class="default-style" style="font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,helvetica,sans-serif;">As far as I know, no one has the passcode, but the deceased. Would small estate work without the deceased surviving spouse involved other than providing notice to the spouse?</div>
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<div class="default-style" style="font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,helvetica,sans-serif;">There is nothing else in the estate that needs distribution. No will, and it has never been through probate. </div>
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<div class="default-style">On 07/27/2026 4:06 PM PDT Andrekita Silva <ak@seattle-silvalaw.com> wrote:</div>
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Law Office of F. Andrekita Silva
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">July 27, 2026</span>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Jordan,</span>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">If person A died, and person B is their spouse, unless there was a Will saying otherwise, </span>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">then wouldn't person B receives all community property? Wouldn't Person B now own the phone? </span>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Is there real property or other titled property that needs to have the title changed from the community to the surviving spouse.</span>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">If assets are under $100K you can use the small estate affidavit.</span>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">This all seems like alot of trouble if it is JUST for a 7 year old cell phone. </span>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">But, I assume that person B, surviving spouse, could take the deceased spouses death certficate and small estate affidavit to the phone manufacturer's customer support to get them to unlock the phone. I assume customer support would want to know that person B is the rightful heir.</span>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I love to know if you get this phone up and running again.</span>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Andrekita Silva</span>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Law Office of F. Andrekita Silva</span>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">1325 Fourth Avenue, Suite 940</span>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Seattle, Washington 98101-2509</span>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">206-224-8288</span>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="mailto:ak@seattle-silvalaw.com">ak@seattle-silvalaw.com</a></span>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">On 2026/07/27 03:30 PM, Jordan Kostelyk wrote:</span>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Hello all, </span>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I have a complicated fact pattern question. A person's parent passed</span>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">away 7 years ago intestate. After they passed the spouse gave the</span>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">adult child personal property of the deceased (including the cell</span>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">phone). There is an issue, the adult child does not have the passcode</span>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">to the phone and cannot get it. </span>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">No probate has ever been opened. A small estate affidavit may be an</span>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">option, but what would happen if the phone was community property?</span>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Would the passcode also be considered community property even though</span>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">the phone itself was already given to the adult child by surviving</span>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">spouse? </span>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you, </span>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Jordan </span>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> (_Ms._) Jordan D. Kostelyk, Esq. </span>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> Tel: 425-244-5196 </span>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> Email: <a href="mailto:jordan@everlastinglegalsolutions.com">jordan@everlastinglegalsolutions.com</a> </span>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> Website: <a href="https://everlastinglegalsolutions.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://everlastinglegalsolutions.com/</a> </span>
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(<em>Ms.</em>) Jordan D. Kostelyk, Esq.
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<strong><u>Tel:</u></strong> 425-244-5196
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<strong><u>Email:</u></strong> <a href="mailto:jordankostelykatlaw@gmail.com">jordan@everlastinglegalsolutions.com</a>
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<strong><u>Website:</u> </strong><span style="color: #222222;"><a href="https://everlastinglegalsolutions.com/">https://everlastinglegalsolutions.com/</a> </span>
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<span style="color: #000000;">This communication is confidential and may be subject to the attorney-client privilege and/or is protected by the work product doctrine. It is intended only for the individual(s) designated herein and is covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. Sections 2510-2521. If you are not the intended recipient, any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited.</span>
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(<em>Ms.</em>) Jordan D. Kostelyk, Esq.
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<strong><u>Tel:</u></strong> 425-244-5196
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<strong><u>Email:</u></strong> <a href="mailto:jordankostelykatlaw@gmail.com">jordan@everlastinglegalsolutions.com</a>
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<strong><u>Website:</u> </strong><span style="color: #222222;"><a href="https://everlastinglegalsolutions.com/">https://everlastinglegalsolutions.com/</a> </span>
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<span style="color: #000000;">This communication is confidential and may be subject to the attorney-client privilege and/or is protected by the work product doctrine. It is intended only for the individual(s) designated herein and is covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. Sections 2510-2521. If you are not the intended recipient, any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited.</span>
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