The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

     (1) "Matter" includes any issue, question, or dispute involving:

     (a) The determination of any class of creditors, devisees, legatees, heirs, next of kin, or other persons interested in an estate, trust, nonprobate asset, or with respect to any other asset or property interest passing at death;

     (b) The direction of a personal representative or trustee to do or to abstain from doing any act in a fiduciary capacity;

     (c) The determination of any question arising in the administration of an estate or trust, or with respect to any nonprobate asset, or with respect to any other asset or property interest passing at death, that may include, without limitation, questions relating to: (i) The construction of wills, trusts, community property agreements, and other writings; (ii) a change of personal representative or trustee; (iii) a change of the situs of a trust; (iv) an accounting from a personal representative or trustee; or (v) the determination of fees for a personal representative or trustee;

     (d) The grant to a personal representative or trustee of any necessary or desirable power not otherwise granted in the governing instrument or given by law;

     (e) The amendment, reformation, or conformation of a will or a trust instrument to comply with statutes and regulations of the United States internal revenue service in order to achieve qualification for deductions, elections, and other tax requirements, including the qualification of any gift thereunder for the benefit of a surviving spouse who is not a citizen of the United States for the estate tax marital deduction permitted by federal law, including the addition of mandatory governing instrument requirements for a qualified domestic trust under section 2056A of the internal revenue code, the qualification of any gift thereunder as a qualified conservation easement as permitted by federal law, or the qualification of any gift for the charitable estate tax deduction permitted by federal law, including the addition of mandatory governing instrument requirements for a charitable remainder trust; and

     (f) With respect to any nonprobate asset, or with respect to any other asset or property interest passing at death, including joint tenancy property, property subject to a community property agreement, or assets subject to a pay on death or transfer on death designation:

     (i) The ascertaining of any class of creditors or others for purposes of chapter 11.18 or 11.42 RCW;

     (ii) The ordering of a qualified person, the notice agent, or resident agent, as those terms are defined in chapter 11.42 RCW, or any combination of them, to do or abstain from doing any particular act with respect to a nonprobate asset;

     (iii) The ordering of a custodian of any of the decedent's records relating to a nonprobate asset to do or abstain from doing any particular act with respect to those records;

     (iv) The determination of any question arising in the administration under chapter 11.18 or 11.42 RCW of a nonprobate asset;

     (v) The determination of any questions relating to the abatement, rights of creditors, or other matter relating to the administration, settlement, or final disposition of a nonprobate asset under this title;

     (vi) The resolution of any matter referencing this chapter, including a determination of any questions relating to the ownership or distribution of an individual retirement account on the death of the spouse of the account holder as contemplated by RCW 6.15.020(6);

     (vii) The resolution of any other matter that could affect the nonprobate asset.

     (2) "Notice agent" has the meanings given in RCW 11.42.010.

     (3) "Nonprobate assets" has the meaning given in RCW 11.02.005.

     (4) "Party" or "parties" means each of the following persons who has an interest in the subject of the particular proceeding and whose name and address are known to, or are reasonably ascertainable by, the petitioner:

     (a) The trustor if living;

     (b) The trustee;

     (c) The personal representative;

     (d) An heir;

     (e) A beneficiary, including devisees, legatees, and trust beneficiaries;

     (f) The surviving spouse or surviving domestic partner of a decedent with respect to his or her interest in the decedent's property;

     (g) A guardian ad litem;

     (h) A creditor;

     (i) Any other person who has an interest in the subject of the particular proceeding;

     (j) The attorney general if required under RCW 11.110.120;

     (k) Any duly appointed and acting legal representative of a party such as a guardian, special representative, or attorney-in-fact;

     (l) Where applicable, the virtual representative of any person described in this subsection the giving of notice to whom would meet notice requirements as provided in RCW 11.96A.120;

     (m) Any notice agent, resident agent, or a qualified person, as those terms are defined in chapter 11.42 RCW; and

     (n) The owner or the personal representative of the estate of the deceased owner of the nonprobate asset that is the subject of the particular proceeding, if the subject of the particular proceeding relates to the beneficiary's liability to a decedent's estate or creditors under RCW 11.18.200.

     (5) "Persons interested in the estate or trust" means the trustor, if living, all persons beneficially interested in the estate or trust, persons holding powers over the trust or estate assets, the attorney general in the case of any charitable trust where the attorney general would be a necessary party to judicial proceedings concerning the trust, and any personal representative or trustee of the estate or trust.

     (6) "Principal place of administration of the trust" means the trustee's usual place of business where the day-to-day records pertaining to the trust are kept, or the trustee's residence if the trustee has no such place of business.

     (7) The "situs" of a trust means the place where the principal place of administration of the trust is located, unless otherwise provided in the instrument creating the trust.

     (8) "Trustee" means any acting and qualified trustee of the trust.

     (9) "Representative" and other similar terms refer to a person who virtually represents another under RCW 11.96A.120.

     (10) "Citation" or "cite" and other similar terms, when required of a person interested in the estate or trust or a party to a petition, means to give notice as required under RCW 11.96A.100. "Citation" or "cite" and other similar terms, when required of the court, means to order, as authorized under RCW 11.96A.020 and 11.96A.060, and as authorized by law.

[2008 c 6 § 927; 2006 c 360 § 10; 2002 c 66 § 2; 1999 c 42 § 104.]

NOTES:

     Part headings not law -- Severability -- 2008 c 6: See RCW 26.60.900 and 26.60.901.

     Clarification of laws -- Enforceability of act -- Severability -- 2006 c 360: See notes following RCW 11.108.070.