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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">What matters is whether they went through an actual marriage ceremony with the appropriate number of witnesses and an officiant.
<a href="http://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=26.04&full=true#26.04.070">RCW 26.04.070</a>. If they did that in good faith, then they are married regardless of whether or not a certificate was filed or even an application was made for one. Improper application
or certificate and other procedural defects do not invalidate a marriage. Instead, the penalty is on the officiant at the ceremony, or possibly on the parties but not in terms of invalidating marriage (unless it was not permitted for some other reason, such
as being under the age of 17, or consent obtained by force or fraud, etc.).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">If there is no ceremony, then they likely are just in a committed intimate relationship (CIR), as Kerry pointed out. In that case, upon death of one partner,
the survivor is entitled to a "fair and equitable" division of all property accumulated during the relationship – it is not a 50-50 split necessarily, but "fair and equitable" analogous to a divorce. Keep in mind, though, that it only affects property accumulated
during the relationship; it does not affect what would otherwise be considered the decedent's "separate property" had they been married.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Then, the survivor gets the "fair and equitable" share of the property, and the decedent's share devolves pursuant to inheritance law. The survivor is
<u>not</u> considered a surviving spouse for purposes of inheritance. <u>Peffley-Warner v. Bowen</u>, 113 Wn.2d 243, 253, 778 P.2d 1022 (1989).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Eric<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Eric C. Nelsen<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">SAYRE LAW OFFICES, PLLC<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">1417 31st Ave South<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Seattle WA 98144-3909<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">phone 206-625-0092<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">fax 206-625-9040<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:red">Please Note that We Have Moved.</span></b><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">
</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">We have moved our Seattle office to Mount Baker Ridge (a small commercial community just above the I-90 tunnel).
<b>Our new address is 1417 31st Avenue South, Seattle WA 98144. </b>All other contact information remains the same.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:windowtext">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:windowtext"> wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com [mailto:wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>rdafg<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, September 01, 2016 9:23 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBARP] Marriage application filed, but no certificate<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p>As relates to intestacy, if a man and a woman who have lived together for 10 years file an
<i>application</i> for a marriage license in King County, but never file the <i>certificate</i> of marriage, would the woman be entitled to treatment as a surviving spouse?
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>The man and woman did ultimately live together for approximately 20 years before he died although they signed documents as single or married as was convenient under the circumstances (i.e., sometimes they filled out documents saying they were single, other
times, they represented they were married). She's now trying to prevent the man's biological children from getting anything from his estate.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thanks,<br>
Anthony<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<pre>-- <o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre>Anthony F. Gibbs<o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre>Gibbs Law Offices<o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre>15600 Redmond Way, Ste 101<o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre>Redmond, WA 98052<o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre>PHONE: 206-734-4374<o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre>CELL: 307-220-8303<o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre>FAX: 206-971-5053<o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre><a href="mailto:gibbslawoffices@gmail.com">gibbslawoffices@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre><a href="http://www.gibbslawoffices.com">www.gibbslawoffices.com</a><o:p></o:p></pre>
<pre><o:p> </o:p></pre>
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