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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#467886" vlink="#96607D" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif'>My first boss told me that when he first starting practicing law back in the late ‘50s, before self-proving Wills, you would have to bring the witnesses in to the courthouse and have them sworn in to provide live testimony that they did in fact witness the signing of the Will. Of course, he might’ve been telling some tall tales of the “back in my day” nature…<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'>---------</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'>This e-mail is covered by the U.S. Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. 2510-2521. This e-mail was sent by an attorney or his agent, is intended only for the addressee's use, and may contain confidential information and/or information protected by the attorney-client privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, nor the employee or agent responsible for delivering it to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination or copying of this transmission (including any attachments) is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please delete it and immediately notify the sender by reply e-mail. Thank you.</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'> </span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'>P. Stephen Aita</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'>Attorney at Law</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'>Admitted in Washington & Idaho</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'> </span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'>3010 Harborview Dr., Suite 301</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'>Gig Harbor, WA 98335-1977</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'>Tel.: (253) 858-5434</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'>Fax: (253) 276-2373</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'> </span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'><a href="steve@aitalaw.com"><span style='color:#0563C1'>steve@aitalaw.com</span></a></span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'><a href="www.aitalaw.com"><span style='color:#0563C1'>www.aitalaw.com</span></a></span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'><a href="www.facebook.com/aitalaw"><span style='color:#0563C1'>www.facebook.com/aitalaw</span></a></span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'> wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Timothy Lehr<br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, September 30, 2026 10:38 AM<br><b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com><br><b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] Notarized Will required to admit to probate vs valid Will<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>All,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I have what is likely a dumb question, but have not came across this before. PC filed a Petition to admit decedent’s Will and open probate, pro se. The Will was signed by two witnesses but not notarized. The court denied the petition and stated that the Will needs to be notarized and cannot be admitted. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>My office always notarizes our Wills but I did not think that was required to admit a Will to probate. My research found that a Will does not need to be notarized to be a valid Will under RCW 11.12.020, but a notarized Will creates a self-proving Will. Does a Will need to be notarized to admit to probate or if not notarized, are there additional requirements to admit the un-notarized Will to probate? <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>Timothy C. Lehr<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>Attorney & Partner<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'><img border=0 width=191 height=69 style='width:1.9895in;height:.7187in' id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01DD50CB.3453C030"></span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>p: 360.855.0131<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>e: <a href="mailto:timothy@stileslaw.com">timothy@stileslaw.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>w: <a href="http://www.stileslaw.com/">www.stileslaw.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>Please Note:</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'> Our office closes at 12pm on Fridays. If I receive your email after that time, I will respond as soon as possible the following Monday. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>NOTICE</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>: The information contained in this email is proprietary and/or confidential and may be privileged. If you are not the intended recipient of this communication, you are hereby notified to : (i) delete the email and all copies; (ii) not disclose, distribute or use the email in any manner; (iii) notify the sender immediately. Thank you. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>