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<p class="MsoNormal">Brent,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> I used to see older attorneys take the position that automatic vesting under RCW 11.04.250 was sufficient once probate closes, without a deed from the estate to the grantee. At least since the early 90s (and likely before
that) we have always prepared a deed from the estate to the grantee to provide a clear chain of title. I continue to believe that is the best practice.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<font size="4" color="#777777"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'"><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><o:p style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'">
<p style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; MARGIN: 0in 0in 6pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'">Amy Lewis,
Attorney<br>Pronouns she/her/hers<br></span><img style="HEIGHT: 68px; WIDTH: 211px" src="cid:Logo_fa335a1d-9f24-4802-a3dd-b58f259e3c98.png" width="211" height="68" border="0"><br></p></o:p></font></font></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'"><span style="COLOR: #000000"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'">909 A Street, Suite
600 | Tacoma, WA 98402<br></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'"><strong style="COLOR: #000000"></strong>phone 253.572.4500 | fax 253.272.5732
|</span></span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'"> </span><a href="http://www.eisenhowerlaw.com/"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; TEXT-DECORATION: none; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; COLOR: #c00000; text-underline: none">www.eisenhowerlaw.com</span></a></font>
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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 1:23 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <WSBAPT@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [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">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>
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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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