Future Filings in an Existing Probate Case

If your case is a Decedent’s estate, chances are that your only time in Court will be to become appointed as Decedent’s Personal Representative.  You will likely file all future documents (“pleadings”) by mail.  When you do so, remember:

• Case Number: To add the Case (also known as the “Cause”) Number that you have been assigned by the Court to the header of every pleading that you file in the future.  Print the Case Number to the immediate right of the “NO.” — immediately above the Title (eg, Petition for ABC; Declaration of XYZ) — on your pleading.  For cases initially filed in King County, the Case Number will look something like 03-4-01234-1 SEA:
  • The 03- indicates that the case was first filed in 2003.
  • The -4- indicates that it is a probate case.
  • The SEA indicates that it was initially filed at the King County Courthouse; had it been filed at the Kent Regional Justice Center, the three capital letters (technically called the “Case Assignment Designation“) would be KNT.

  If you forget to add the Case Number to a pleading filed by mail in King County, you:

  • Will receive it back in the mail, unfiled, around a month later,
  • Will have wasted your SASE, and
  • Will be charged a $15 fee for violating Local Rule 84 (ie, All pleadings presented for filing must have a Case Number & Designation).
• Copy for Conformation: To include a copy of every pleading you are filing, so the Clerk will stamp the copy as conformed (eg, “Received in King County Superior Court Clerk’s Office [date]“) and return it to you, verifying the date that the original was filed and giving you a copy of exactly what was filed for your records.
• Sufficient SASE: To also include a sufficiently stamped, self-addressed envelope, for the Clerk to return your conformed copies to you.  The Court provides neither envelopes nor postage.  If you don’t provide the SASE or enough postage, you won’t receive your conformed copies.