WA-Probate > Probate Court Practice > The Initial Filing in a New Case > If Decedent's Will Has Already Been Filed

Washington Probate Court Practice

If Decedent's Will Has Already Been Filed

If Decedent's Will has already been filed, then the Clerk's Office will have already opened a file for Decedent and issued a case number for the file.  As it happens, however, the file will be classified internally within the Clerk's Office as a Will Only file and not as a Decedent's Estate file, although, at least for King County, this is a difference without a distinction.

To file a later Petition for Probate:

• File the Petition under the same case number as was issued for Decedent's Will.
   

• Pay the $200 filing fee (sacrificing the $20 filing fee that was paid for the prior filing of the Will).
   

• In King County, file a new King County Case Assignment Designation & Case Information Cover Sheet.

The Clerk's Office will reassign the file from a Will Only file to a Decedent's Estate file without any further action necessary.

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