Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in Washington

All probate documents are public information and most can be obtained by going to the court that the probate was filed in and asking to see the record. You do not need an attorney to do this. You can do this yourself, and sometimes the records are available on line. It depends on the county the Will was filed in. The record will include the Will. If the trust was created by the Will, it will be part of the Will, there will be no separate document creating the trust. If the Trust were created outside of the Will there is no public record and you would have to apply to the trustee for a copy of the trust. As a beneficiary you are entitled to a copy of the trust. If the Trustee does not give you a copy of the Trust within 10 days, you should contact an attorney to begin the process of forcing the Trustee through the courts.

I hope this helps you.

Caroline R. Suissa-Edmiston