WASHINGTON STATUTES AND CODES

11.42.010 - Notice agent -- Qualifications.

Notice agent — Qualifications.

(1) Subject to the conditions stated in this chapter, and if no personal representative has been appointed in this state, a beneficiary or trustee who has received or is entitled to receive by reason of the decedent's death substantially all of the decedent's probate and nonprobate assets, is qualified to give nonprobate notice to creditors under this chapter.

     If no one beneficiary or trustee has received or is entitled to receive substantially all of the assets, then those persons, who in the aggregate have received or are entitled to receive substantially all of the assets, may, under an agreement under RCW 11.96A.220, appoint a person who is then qualified to give nonprobate notice to creditors under this chapter.

     (2) A person or group of persons is deemed to have received substantially all of the decedent's probate and nonprobate assets if the person or the group, at the time of the filing of the declaration and oath referred to in subsection (3) of this section, in reasonable good faith believed that the person or the group had received, or was entitled to receive by reason of the decedent's death, substantially all of the decedent's probate and nonprobate assets.

     (3)(a) The "notice agent" means the qualified person who:

     (i) Pays a filing fee to the clerk of the superior court in a county in which probate may be commenced regarding the decedent, the "notice county", and receives a cause number; and

     (ii) Files a declaration and oath with the clerk.

     (b) The declaration and oath must be made in affidavit form or under penalty of perjury and must state that the person making the declaration believes in reasonable good faith that the person is qualified under this chapter to act as the notice agent and that the person will faithfully execute the duties of the notice agent as provided in this chapter.

     (4) The following persons are not qualified to act as notice agent:

     (a) Corporations, trust companies, and national banks, except: (i) Such entities as are authorized to do trust business in this state; and (ii) professional service corporations that are regularly organized under the laws of this state whose shareholder or shareholders are exclusively attorneys;

     (b) Minors;

     (c) Persons of unsound mind;

     (d) Persons who have been convicted of a felony or of a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude; and

     (e) Persons who have given notice under this chapter and who thereafter become of unsound mind or are convicted of a felony or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude. This disqualification does not bar another person, otherwise qualified, from acting as successor notice agent.

     (5) A nonresident may act as notice agent if the nonresident appoints an agent who is a resident of the notice county or who is attorney of record for the notice agent upon whom service of all papers may be made. The appointment must be made in writing and filed with the court.