Updated Materials in the Community Property Deskbook
Selected updated chapters and an updated index for the new Community Property Deskbook are now available on the Members Page.
ANNUAL DISCLOSURE OF "PROPERTY" HELD NOT REQUIRED
If you have missed the controversy surrounding the imposition of new RPC 1.15A and the "safeguarding" of client property, Click Here to view the history of the Section's discussion of RPC 1.15 and contact with the Supreme Court. Thanks especially to Steve Crossland and Pam McClaran for their tireless work in raising the issues with the Supreme Court, attending meetings, and offering a compromise to the current rule. The Supreme Court has accepted RPPT's suggestion to limit the annual accounting to "funds" being held by counsel. You can see the amended Rule here: http://www.courts.wa.gov/court_rules/?fa=court_rules.display&group=ga&set=RPC&ruleid=garpc1.15a and view the comments to the rule here: http://www.courts.wa.gov/court_rules/?fa=court_rules.proposedRuleDisplay&ruleId=100.
Transfer Tax Exemption and Rate Schedule
Can't remember what the current transfer tax rates or exemptions are? Here is printable schedule for your use and enjoyment - 1998 to 2011: Transfer Tax Exemption and Rate Table NOTE: THIS TABLE WAS PREPARED BEFORE THE INVALIDATION OF WASHINGTON STATE'S PRIOR ESTATE TAX AND THE ENACTMENT IN 2005 OF THE NEW STATE ESTATE TAX. IT SHOULD NOT BE RELIED ON FOR STATE ESTATE TAX PURPOSES.
Discussion Group Archives On-Line
Looking for something that you remember was discussed on the Probate & Trust or Real Property Discussion Group but can't figure out where to find it? Look no further. We have added a new web page that links you directly to the wsbapt and wsbarp discussion group archives. This archives contains messages from January 2003 forward and offer full text search capability. Click this link for the Probate & Trust Discussion Group Archives. Click this link for the Real Property Discussion Group Archives.
Section Members Page
We have a page for WSBA Real Property, Probate & Trust Members. This page will contain the most recent Newsletter, an on-line version of the Section Directory, selected chapters from the Real Property Deskbook and the Community Property Deskbook, and selected chapters from past CLEs that were sponsored by the WSBA.
If you are a Section Member you should have received the username and password for this site by e-mail. If you have not, e-mail the Webmaster with your name and WSBA Bar Number and we will mail you a username and password to gain access to this site.
Click this link to go to the new Section Members' Page.
If you are not yet a Section Member, join up! All are welcome, and it is only $17 a year.
You can subcribe on-line here: Section Membership Subscription.
Organ Donor Information for Clients and Attorneys
We have posted a short article on How to Become an Organ and Tissue Donor in Washington that provides useful information for both attorneys and their clients. This article contains links to form donor cards, information on the types of tissue and organs that can be donated, and other sites on the internet that provide useful information on organ donations. A second piece, How Lawyers Can Assist Their Clients with Respect to Organ Donation provides practitioners with three simple questions we can ask our clients to see if they would like to participate in an organ donation program.
Statutory Comments Now On the Web!
Ever tried to find that elusive "legislative history" for a statute? Well look here first! We have put the "official comments" for several significant Washington State legislative enactments on a new Web page. You can access the comments by clicking this link: Statutory Comments, or go to the Resources Page. Additional comments will be added for past enactments as they are located. We hope to add comments for new enactments bills are proposed in the legislature.
JOIN THE SECTION
LISTSERVES!
Click on the link to find out more.We have established two listserves to provide a forum for our members to discuss issues of interest. One listserve has been established to address real property issues, and the other has been established to address probate and trust issues.
The principal purpose of the listserves is to allow members to seek input on legal issues that they are dealing with or interested in. The members of the RPPT Section Executive Committee are all members of the listserves, and are committed to participating on their council's listserve.
To explore listserves you can visit the list archives pages. The archive page for the real property listserv is http://archives.nethelps.com/wsbarp.html. The archive page for the probate and trust listserv is http://archives.nethelps.com/wsbapt.html.