CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2904

Chapter 193, Laws of 2004

58th Legislature
2004 Regular Session



ESTATE ADJUDICATION NOTICE



EFFECTIVE DATE: 6/10/04

Passed by the House February 16, 2004
  Yeas 95   Nays 2

FRANK CHOPP
________________________________________    
Speaker of the House of Representatives


Passed by the Senate March 11, 2004
  Yeas 49   Nays 0


BRAD OWEN
________________________________________    
President of the Senate
 
CERTIFICATE

I, Richard Nafziger, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2904 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth.


RICHARD NAFZIGER
________________________________________    
Chief Clerk
Approved March 26, 2004.








GARY F. LOCKE
________________________________________    
Governor of the State of Washington
 
FILED
March 26, 2004 - 4:52 p.m.







Secretary of State
State of Washington


_____________________________________________ 

SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2904
_____________________________________________

Passed Legislature - 2004 Regular Session
State of Washington58th Legislature2004 Regular Session

By House Committee on Judiciary (originally sponsored by Representatives Lovick, Moeller, Kirby, McMahan and Newhouse; by request of Department of Social and Health Services)

READ FIRST TIME 02/06/04.   



     AN ACT Relating to estate adjudication for the department of social and health services; and amending RCW 11.28.330 and 11.28.340.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 11.28.330 and 1974 ex.s. c 117 s 31 are each amended to read as follows:
     If no personal representative is appointed to administer the estate of a decedent, the person obtaining the adjudication of testacy, or intestacy and heirship, within thirty days shall((, cause written notice of said)) personally serve or mail a true copy of the adjudication ((to be mailed)) to each heir, legatee, and devisee of the decedent, which ((notice)) copy shall contain the name of the decedent's estate and the probate cause number, and shall:
     (1) State the name and address of the applicant;
     (2) State that on the . . . . day of . . . . . . , ((19. . .)) . . . ., the applicant obtained an order from the superior court of . . . . . . county, state of Washington, adjudicating that the decedent died intestate, or testate, whichever shall be the case;
     (3) In the event the decedent died testate, enclose a copy of his will therewith, and state that the adjudication of testacy will become final and conclusive for all legal intents and purposes unless any heir, legatee, or devisee of the decedent shall contest said will within four months after the date the said will was adjudicated to be the last will and testament of the decedent;
     (4) In the event that the decedent died intestate, set forth the names and addresses of the heirs of the decedent, their relationship to the decedent, the distributive shares of the estate of the decedent which they are entitled to receive, and that said adjudication of intestacy and heirship shall become final and conclusive for all legal intents and purposes, unless, within four months of the date of said adjudication of intestacy, a petition shall be filed seeking the admission of a will of the decedent for probate, or contesting the adjudication of heirship.
     Notices provided for in this section may be served personally or sent by regular mail, and proof of such service or mailing shall be made by an affidavit filed in the cause;
     (5) Mail a true copy of the adjudication, including the decedent's social security number and the name and address of the applicant, to the state of Washington department of social and health services office of financial recovery
.

Sec. 2   RCW 11.28.340 and 1988 c 29 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     Unless, within four months after the entry of the order adjudicating testacy or intestacy and heirship, and the mailing or service of the notice required in RCW 11.28.330 any heir, legatee or devisee of the decedent shall offer a later will for probate or contest an adjudication of testacy in the manner provided in this title for will contests, or offer a will of the decedent for probate following an adjudication of intestacy and heirship, or contesting the determination of heirship, an order adjudicating testacy or intestacy and heirship without appointing a personal representative to administer a decedent's estate shall, as to those persons by whom notice was waived or to whom said notice was mailed or on whom served, be deemed the equivalent of the entry of a final decree of distribution in accordance with the provisions of chapter 11.76 RCW for the purpose of:
     (1) Establishing the decedent's will as his last will and testament and persons entitled to receive his estate thereunder; or
     (2) Establishing the fact that the decedent died intestate, and those persons entitled to receive his estate as his heirs at law.
     The right of an heir, legatee, or devisee to receive the assets of a decedent shall, to the extent otherwise provided by this title, be subject to the prior rights of the decedent's creditors and of any persons entitled to a homestead award or award in lieu of homestead or family allowance, and nothing contained in this section shall be deemed to alter or diminish such prior rights, or to prohibit any person for good cause shown, from obtaining the appointment of a personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent after the entry of an order adjudicating testacy or intestacy and heirship. However, if the petition for letters testamentary or of administration shall be filed more than four months after the date of the adjudication of testacy or of intestacy and heirship, the issuance of such letters shall not affect the finality of said adjudications.
     Four months after providing all notices as required in RCW 11.28.330, any person paying, delivering, transferring, or issuing property to the person entitled thereto under an adjudication of testacy or intestacy and heirship that is deemed the equivalent of a final decree of distribution as set forth in this section is discharged and released to the same extent as if such person has dealt with a personal representative of the decedent.


         Passed by the House February 16, 2004.
         Passed by the Senate March 11, 2004.
         Approved by the Governor March 26, 2004.
         Filed in Office of Secretary of State March 26, 2004.