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<p class="MsoNormal">I recently had this come up with an attorney involved probate. There was even a filed TEDRA agreement that stated xyz property is going to the exemption trust and abc property going to the surviving spouse as non pro rata distribution of
the estate (and to avoid the “marital trust” funding. There were no deeds done. <o:p>
</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I was baffled too, as I tell surviving spouses frequently that the benefit of the probate is they get a new deed in their own name whereas with the CP LOPA they don’t.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Heather<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Calligraphy";color:#1F497D">Heather S. de Vrieze</span><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;color:#1F497D"><br>
</span></b><i><span style="font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:#1F497D">(she/her)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:#1F497D">Attorney-at-Law</span></i><i><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Nyala;color:#44524E">3909 California Avenue SW<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;color:#A6A6A6">CONFIDENTIAL & PRIVILEGED. This e-mail message may contain legally privileged and/or confidential information. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender immediately
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<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>Brent Williams-Ruth<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, August 4, 2026 1:50 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBAPT] Baffled by Transaction; Probate done but property not transferred<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">It was not. Attorney was involved, now retired. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br clear="all">
<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p><b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Brent Williams-Ruth</span></b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> (pronouns: he/him)<br>
<i>Attorney-At-Law</i></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Law Offices of Brent Williams-Ruth, </span></b><b><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">a division of BWR Consulting, PLLC</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Physical Address: 500 S 336th Street, Suite 214; Federal Way, WA 98003</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:red">Mailing Address:</span></b><b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> PO BOX 3319; Federal Way, WA 98063 </span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Office/Scheduling Phone:<span style="color:#004080"> </span><span style="color:red">(253) 285-7751</span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:red">For All Meetings & Scheduling:
<a href="mailto:info@williams-ruthlaw.com" target="_blank">info@williams-ruthlaw.com</a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><a href="mailto:Brent@Williams-RuthLaw.com" target="_blank">e-mail</a> / <a href="http://www.williams-ruthlaw.com/" target="_blank">website</a> /</span><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/bwrlaw" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:9.5pt">facebook</span></a></span><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> / </span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">On Tue, Aug 4, 2026 at 1:37<span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> </span>PM Diane Kiepe <<a href="mailto:diane@kiepelaw.com">diane@kiepelaw.com</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p>
<blockquote style="border:none;border-left:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 6.0pt;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-right:0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:18.0pt">Brent,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:18.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:18.0pt">I wonder if it was a pro se probate. I always do a deed (as you noted you do). I have to believe it was an oversight and someone somehow thought the declaration was a transfer device.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:18.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:18.0pt">Also, just go my first Intestacy case. I am in tier (b).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#38761D">Diane Kiepe</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#38761D">Kiepe Estate and Probate, PLLC</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#38761D"><a href="mailto:diane@kiepelaw.com" target="_blank">diane@kiepelaw.com</a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#38761D">200 N. Mullan Rd., Suite 203</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#38761D">Spokane Valley, WA 99206</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#38761D">509-808-2087</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:dimgray">Confidentiality Notice: This page and any accompanying documents contain information that is confidential, privileged, or exempt from disclosure under applicable
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">On Tue, Aug 4, 2026 at 1:22<span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> </span>PM Brent Williams-Ruth <<a href="mailto:brent@williams-ruthlaw.com" target="_blank">brent@williams-ruthlaw.com</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p>
<blockquote style="border:none;border-left:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 6.0pt;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-right:0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Listmates - <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">I am truly baffled by a matter (historical) and I am curious if this was just the "old way of doing it". <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Decedent died intestate in 2015. Surviving spouse opens probate, is appointed. Files declaration of completion nearly 1 year later and in the declaration it states that surviving spouse was
beneficiary of all, no separate property. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">LOPA was filed in 2018 declaring that no probate was done and transfering house to surviving spouse. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">WHAT I NORMALLY DO in that situation is that before I close probate, I have the Executor/Surviving Spouse transfer through a Deed of PR the decedent's share. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">I'm only curious because now that the SS has died and I am helping get the property to the next of kin, I had my favorite title company pull the property report and last vesting deed and it was
still the deed from 1996 when H&W bought the house. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><br>
Wasted a bunch of time tracking down to see who is actually the owner because the title company didn't pull the LOPA as part of the general process in helping me identify the nature and ownership of the property. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Just looking for a little validation as a solo attorney ensuring that I am doing things in lines with industry standard. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Thanks!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Brent<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br clear="all">
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p><b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Brent Williams-Ruth</span></b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> (pronouns: he/him)<br>
<i>Attorney-At-Law</i></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Law Offices of Brent Williams-Ruth, </span></b><b><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">a division of BWR Consulting, PLLC</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Physical Address: 500 S 336th Street, Suite 214; Federal Way, WA 98003</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:red">Mailing Address:</span></b><b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> PO BOX 3319; Federal Way, WA 98063 </span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Office/Scheduling Phone:<span style="color:#004080"> </span><span style="color:red">(253) 285-7751</span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:red">For All Meetings & Scheduling:
<a href="mailto:info@williams-ruthlaw.com" target="_blank">info@williams-ruthlaw.com</a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><a href="mailto:Brent@Williams-RuthLaw.com" target="_blank">e-mail</a> / <a href="http://www.williams-ruthlaw.com/" target="_blank">website</a> /</span><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/bwrlaw" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:9.5pt">facebook</span></a></span><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> / </span><o:p></o:p></p>
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</blockquote>
<p class="MsoNormal">***Disclaimer: Please note that RPPT listserv participation is not restricted to practicing attorneys and may include non-practicing attorneys, law students, professionals working in related fields, and others.***<br>
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