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WA-Probate > Probate Instructions > Opening the Estate > Avoiding Notice of Hearing for a Petition for Letters
The Issue: Should the Heirs and Beneficiaries be given Notice that the Court will hear your Petition to be appointed as Decedent's Personal Representative so that they may be given an opportunity to be heard?
As regards the notice requirements for the Letters portion of your Petition, the only person ever entitled to Notice is Decedent's surviving spouse. Consequently:
If
Decedent was not survived by a spouse, then no Notice is required to anyone.
If
Decedent was survived by a spouse, and you file your Petition after 40 days
after Decedent's death, then no Notice is required to anyone.
Testacy:
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If
Decedent was survived by a spouse, and
you are not the surviving spouse or his/her written
designee, and
you file your
Petition within 40 days after Decedent's death, ...
then Notice to the surviving spouse is required if either
of the following two conditions is true:
Your Petition is for either Letters of
Administration or Letters of Administration With Will Annexed (RCW
11.28.131); or
Your Petition is for Letters Testamentary and community property is in the estate (RCW 11.28.030).
If Notice is required under the former, "Letters of
Administration" requirement, then Notice is required to be sent "at least
ten days before the hearing, unless the surviving spouse [has] waive[d]
notice of the hearing in writing ...."
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If Notice is required under the latter, "Letters Testamentary
+ community property" requirement, then Notice is required "for such time and in such
manner as the court may determine," unless the surviving spouse has "in
writing waived the right to administer upon such community property."
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Problem: If Decedent is survived by a spouse, either
Wait until after 40 days after Decedent's
death to file your Petition, or
Have the Petitioner be the surviving spouse or
his/her written designee,
or
If Decedent left a Will,
Petition for
The Surviving Spouse to be appointed Personal Representative over the
community property, and
You to be appointed Personal Representative over the separate property
(See 2003 King County Probate Policy & Procedure Manual, § 3.4.3),
or
Have the surviving spouse sign a
and file it with the Court; or