What is involved in the Probate procedure?
In Washington, a probate proceeding is started by the filing of a legal document called a petition, along with the will of the deceased person. The filing fee is, as of Winter 2007, $200.00. If no will can be located, the laws in Washington provide that the estate of the deceased person is to pass to the next of kin, in a specific “order of succession” and in the percentages specified in RCW 11.04. Once the will has been approved by a judge or commissioner, or the determination is made that the Estate is to be resolved as an “intestate administration” (where there is no will), the probate is under way and the person who is appointed as personal representative or administrator of the estate is responsible for seeing that the proper notices are sent out and the assets and debts of the deceased person are properly cared for and, ultimately distributed. The process is too complicated and varied to describe here, but the basic outline is as follows:  (1) heirs and persons named in the w
