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<div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I agree with Eric Nelsen that any Washington Superior Court has the jurisdiction to determine ownership of title </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">to real property anywhere in the state.</span></div>
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<div dir="auto">If that court is in a different County, that Order should be recorded in the County where the real property is located to impart notice.</div>
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<div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255)">Dwight Bickel</div>
<div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255)" dir="auto">Title Advisor</div>
<div dir="auto" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255)">dwight@dwightbickel.com</div>
<div dir="auto" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255)">206-484-1976</div>
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<div id="divRplyFwdMsg" dir="ltr"><font face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size:11pt" color="#000000"><b>From:</b> wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com> on behalf of Eric Nelsen <eric@sayrelawoffices.com><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, July 20, 2023 4:44:32 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Real Property Listserv <wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBARP] Does Divorce Decree Convey Title?</font>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; color:windowtext">Dwight, is your caveat about the Decree being in the same county as the real estate an issue of notice for third parties, or a question of the operative
effect of the Decree? My understanding was:</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; color:windowtext">A decree of dissolution awarding property
<i>situated anywhere within the state</i> has the operative effect of transferring title.
<u>In re Marriage of Kowalewski</u>, 163 Wn.2d 542, 548, 182 P.3d 426 (2008), <u>
citing</u> <u>see</u> <u>United Benefit Life Ins. Co. v. Price</u>, 46 Wn.2d 587, 283 P.2d 119 (1955),
<u>overruled on other grounds by</u> <u>Aetna Life Ins. Co. v. Wadsworth</u>, 102 Wn.2d 652, 689 P.2d 46 (1984). "The decree operates not only to vest in the spouse designated the property awarded to him or her, but to divest the other spouse of all interest
in the property so awarded, except as the decree may otherwise designate." <u>Price</u>, 46 Wn.2d at 589. Judgment affecting real property needs proper indexing. RCW 4.64.030(2)(b).</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; color:windowtext">I can understand needing to record something in the county so that third parties have notice of the change in ownership, but it shouldn’t be required to
make the decree effective as between the parties?</span></p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; color:windowtext">Sincerely,</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; color:windowtext"> </span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; color:windowtext">Eric</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; color:windowtext"> </span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; color:windowtext">Eric C. Nelsen</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; color:windowtext">Sayre Law Offices, PLLC</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; color:windowtext">1417 31st Ave South</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; color:windowtext">Seattle WA 98144-3909</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; color:windowtext">206-625-0092</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; color:windowtext"><a href="mailto:eric@sayrelawoffices.com"><span style="color:#0563C1">eric@sayrelawoffices.com</span></a></span></p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; color:windowtext">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; color:windowtext"> wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com
<wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Dwight Bickel<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, July 20, 2023 1:31 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Real Property Listserv <wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBARP] Does Divorce Decree Convey Title?</span></p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif; color:windowtext">Fortunately, the people who prepared the referenced decree included the legal description of the property, and determined which is the sole owner. If the
Superior Court for that decree is in the same county as the real property, then there is no reason to record a deed and no reason to record the decree. The Superior Court is a public record and it has authority to order the ownership change. Many people rely
on addresses instead, or refer to a settlement agreement that itself rarely has the legal description. Sometimes even the petition does not have the legal description. I think WA courts still believe a legal description is required (but there’s some recent
evidence that position is becoming more flexible).</span></p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in; background:white"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in; background:white"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif; color:#174E86">Dwight A. Bickel </span><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; color:black"></span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in; background:white"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif; color:#174E86">Real Property Title Advisor </span><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; color:black"></span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in; background:white"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif; color:#174E86">Washington Title Professional </span><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; color:black"></span></p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; color:windowtext">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; color:windowtext">
<a href="mailto:wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a> <<a href="mailto:wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Mark Anderson<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, July 20, 2023 1:13 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Real Property Listserv <<a href="mailto:wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBARP] Does Divorce Decree Convey Title?</span></p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="color:#002060">H and W divorced in 1971. The decree awarded real property (the family home) to W and includes the legal description of the property that was awarded. No deed was ever recorded. W is no longer living. We
can’t find H and don’t even know if he is still living.</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="color:#002060">Does the decree convey title as between H and W?
</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="color:#002060">I think it should be recorded, but is that necessary to convey title?</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="color:#002060">Thanks.</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><b>Mark B. Anderson<br>
</b>ANDERSON LAW FIRM PLLC<br>
821 Dock St Ste 209 PMB 4-12<br>
Tacoma, Washington 98402<br>
+1 253-327-1750<br>
+1 253-327-1751 (fax)<br>
<a href="mailto:marka@mbaesq.com"><span style="color:blue">marka@mbaesq.com</span></a><br>
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