BILL REQ. #:  Z-0212.3 

Read first time 01/20/09.   Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

     AN ACT Relating to the procedure for filing a declaration of completion of probate; and amending RCW 11.68.110.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1   RCW 11.68.110 and 1998 c 292 s 202 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) If a personal representative who has acquired nonintervention powers does not apply to the court for either of the final decrees provided for in RCW 11.68.100 as now or hereafter amended, the personal representative shall, when the administration of the estate has been completed, file a declaration that must state as follows:
     (a) The date of the decedent's death and the decedent's residence at the time of death;
     (b) Whether or not the decedent died testate or intestate;
     (c) If the decedent died testate, the date of the decedent's last will and testament and the date of the order probating the will;
     (d) That each creditor's claim which was justly due and properly presented as required by law has been paid or otherwise disposed of by agreement with the creditor, and that the amount of estate taxes due as the result of the decedent's death has been determined, settled, and paid;
     (e) That the personal representative has completed the administration of the decedent's estate without court intervention, and the estate is ready to be closed;
     (f) If the decedent died intestate, the names, addresses (if known), and relationship of each heir of the decedent, together with the distributive share of each heir; and
     (g) The amount of fees paid or to be paid to each of the following: (i) Personal representative or representatives; (ii) lawyer or lawyers; (iii) appraiser or appraisers; and (iv) accountant or accountants; and that the personal representative believes the fees to be reasonable and does not intend to obtain court approval of the amount of the fees or to submit an estate accounting to the court for approval.
     (2) Subject to the requirement of notice as provided in this section, unless an heir, devisee, or legatee of a decedent petitions the court either for an order requiring the personal representative to obtain court approval of the amount of fees paid or to be paid to the personal representative, lawyers, appraisers, or accountants, or for an order requiring an accounting, or both, within thirty days from the date of filing a declaration of completion of probate, the personal representative will be automatically discharged without further order of the court and the representative's powers will cease thirty days after the filing of the declaration of completion of probate, and the declaration of completion of probate shall, at that time, be the equivalent of the entry of a decree of distribution in accordance with chapter 11.76 RCW for all legal intents and purposes.
     (3) Within five days of the date of the filing of the declaration of completion, the personal representative or the personal representative's lawyer shall mail a copy of the declaration of completion to each heir, legatee, or devisee of the decedent, who: (a) Has not waived notice of the filing, in writing, filed in the cause; and (b) either has not received the full amount of the distribution to which the heir, legatee, or devisee is entitled or has a property right that might be affected adversely by the discharge of the personal representative under this section, together with a notice which shall be substantially as follows: