Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in Washington

Re: Help

I am presuming that your father died in Washington. If that is the case, if no probate case has been opened with the will filed, you could initiate the probate case without the will. It would force the will to be disclosed or the estate will be handled as intestate. This is a blunt instrument, and I don't know the details of this situation, and what the condition of relationships are in your family, so I can't speak to whether this is a good option, only that it is one available under the law. You should discuss this with an attorney who does probate in the county where your father resided when he died.

Re: Help

A will is a public document and you don't need your step mom's permission to see it once it is published.

WA is a community property state. That means that when a married person dies, the property the decedent owned (mostly) goes to their surviving spouse. There are specific exceptions and if you are a child from a previous relationship AND your father died in Washington, you really, really need to talk to a WA attorney.

Hope this helps. Elizabeth Powell