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<p class="MsoNormal">I would argue no effect. The case law is clear that the claim process is for “general charges against the assets of the estate” and I don’t think a possessory claim to specific real property can be construed to fit into that.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My other thought is the more general case law stating that the estate has no better title to property than the decedent had, and heirs inherit it with all encumbrances and defects, whatever they may be. Another line of reasoning that confirms
that adverse possession isn’t affected by the creditor nonclaim statute.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Eric<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Eric C. Nelsen<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Sayre Law Offices, PLLC<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">1417 31st Ave South<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Seattle WA 98144-3909<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">206-625-0092<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none"><a href="mailto:eric@sayrelawoffices.com"><span style="color:#0563C1">eric@sayrelawoffices.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="mso-ligatures:none">From:</span></b><span style="mso-ligatures:none"> wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Roger Hawkes<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, August 3, 2023 11:13 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Real Property Listserv <wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBARP] Prescriptive Easement Claim and Probate<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Eric: in your opinion, would a creditors claim notice sent to adjoining land owners have any preclusive effect for a later asserted ap claim?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="mso-ligatures:none">From:</span></b><span style="mso-ligatures:none">
<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>Eric Nelsen<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, August 2, 2023 3:30 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Real Property Listserv <<a href="mailto:wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>>; 'WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv' <<a href="mailto:wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBARP] Prescriptive Easement Claim and Probate<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Your instinct is correct, the creditor claim process doesn’t apply to such claims. The statutory process is only for claims for money “as a general charge against the assets of the estate,” meaning a mere unsecured debt owed by the decedent.
A dispute over ownership of specific property that the Estate also claims is not subject to the process. These aren’t exactly on point for adverse possession, but see
<u>O’Steen v. Wineberg’s Estate</u>, 30 Wn.App. 923 (1982), <u>Compton v. Westerman</u>, 150 Wash. 391 (1928),
<u>Gottwig v. Blaine</u>, 59 Wn.App. 99 (1990), <u>Baird v. Knutzen</u>, 49 Wn.2d 308 (1956),
<u>Foley v. Smith</u>, 14 Wn.App. 285 (1975).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For adverse possession, I think it’s logical that a creditor claim does not need to be filed. The claimant has actual possession of the claimed property, and it’s really the Estate who should have to file for trespass and ejectment against
the claimant. If that suit by the Estate to recover the property is barred by 10-year statute of limitations, then conversely the claimant has to be entitled to quiet title in themselves.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Let’s say the claimant doesn’t bother to file against the Estate. The Estate will eventually deed the property either to a buyer or to heirs. At that point the claimant can sue the current holders of the property, based on adverse possession,
and again the lack of a claim against the Estate can’t be a problem. Otherwise, every time a property owner died, all adverse possession claims against them would be re-set to zero, contrary to the principles of tacking of adverse possession.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Eric<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Eric C. Nelsen<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Sayre Law Offices, PLLC<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">1417 31st Ave South<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Seattle WA 98144-3909<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">206-625-0092<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none"><a href="mailto:eric@sayrelawoffices.com">eric@sayrelawoffices.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="mso-ligatures:none">From:</span></b><span style="mso-ligatures:none">
<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><a href="mailto:samuel@meylerlegal.com">samuel@meylerlegal.com</a><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, August 2, 2023 2:49 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'WSBA Real Property Listserv' <<a href="mailto:wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>>; 'WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv' <<a href="mailto:wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBARP] Prescriptive Easement Claim and Probate<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Is the claimant of a prescriptive easement and/or adverse possession against a decedent’s property entitled to notice to creditor and are such claims subject to claim limitation periods in probate? In other words, is a claim for a prescriptive
easement and/or adverse possession barred if the claimant fails to present the claim within the limitations period set forth in RCW 11.40 et seq.?
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I am not finding any authority directly on point. It would seem strange that claims that are considered perfected after the required period would be barred and I would not call a claimant in this scenario a “creditor,” but these surely
are “claims.” <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sam<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:blue;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:blue;mso-ligatures:none">Samuel M. Meyler</span></b><span style="mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:blue;mso-ligatures:none">Meyler Legal, PLLC </span></b><span style="mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:blue;mso-ligatures:none">1700 Westlake Ave. N., Ste. 200<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:blue;mso-ligatures:none">Seattle, Washington 98109</span><span style="mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:blue;mso-ligatures:none">Tel:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:blue;mso-ligatures:none"> 206.876.7770<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:blue;mso-ligatures:none">Fax:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:blue;mso-ligatures:none"> 206.876.7771<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:blue;mso-ligatures:none">Email:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:blue;mso-ligatures:none"> </span><span style="mso-ligatures:none"><a href="mailto:samuel@meylerlegal.com"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:blue">samuel@meylerlegal.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:blue;mso-ligatures:none"> </span><span style="mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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