It used to be (back in the old days of the mid-90s when Steve started practicing law) that to start probate proceedings, the lawyer would have to go to the courthouse, bring a check for the filing fee, wait in line in the Clerk's office to file the Petition, wait in line again in the Ex Parte Department to present the Petition and supporting documentation to the Judge or Court Commissioner, have a little "mini hearing" on the Petition, then assuming the Order was signed, conform copies at the courthouse, and mail copies back to the client. Now, especially with intestate estates and especially in the larger counties, the entire process is done through E-filing - we can file the Petition and supporting documents and present the proposed Order without ever leaving the office, and the Clerk of the Court will email a conformed copy of the Order right back to us, usually the next day. Just another example why probate in Washington is nothing to be feared or avoided - our probate process is relatively easy, cheap, and streamlined.
If you have questions about probate in Washington, give us a call at 253.858.5434 to find out how we can help!