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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>Eric,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>Have any community funds been used to make payments on a mortgage; paid any taxes or made any improvements? If so, the community would have a lien on the home and one half would belong to D as an equitable interest.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>Howard Herman<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>Herman Herman & Jolley PS<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>509.220.5810<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><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>From:</b> wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com [mailto:wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Eric Nelsen<br><b>Sent:</b> Friday, November 13, 2015 11:53 AM<br><b>To:</b> WSBA Real Property listserve (wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com) <wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com><br><b>Subject:</b> [WSBARP] spouse "homestead" and tenancy rights in other spouse's separate property residence<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>C and D are married, and live in a house that C acquired prior to marriage. D additionally has executed a quit claim deed confirming that the house is C's separate property.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>1. Can D claim a homestead in the house? No ownership interest, but it is D's place of residence just as much as it is C's.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>2. What is D's legal status as an occupant, anyway? Tenant at will? If D has any legal status as a tenant at all, does that sustain the right to homestead?<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Any legal and equitable interest in a property, including a lease, is sufficient to create a homestead. <u>Downey v. Wilber</u>, 117 Wn. 660, 202 P. 256 (1921). <u>But see</u> <u>Northwest Cascade, Inc. v. Unique Construction, Inc.</u>, 187 Wn.App. 685, 351 P.3d 172 (Div. 2, May 19, 2015), holding that "mere occupancy and possession" of a property is not enough interest to claim as a homestead, <u>citing</u> <u>see</u> <u>SSG Corp. v. Cunningham</u>, 74 Wn.App. 708, 714, 875 P.2d 16 (1994).<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><u>Northwest Cascade</u> and <u>SSG Corp.</u> both appear to involve bad actors who were blurring the line between their personal assets and assets of a wholly-owned corporation. In the case of an innocent spouse, with that spouse be considered a tenant at will, and would that be a sufficient equitable interest to support claiming a homestead?<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Eric C. Nelsen<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>SAYRE LAW OFFICES, PLLC<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>1320 University St<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Seattle WA 98101-2837<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>phone 206-625-0092<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>fax 206-625-9040<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>