Concealed or embezzled property — Proceedings for discovery.
RCW 11.48.070
in effectThe court shall have authority to bring before it any person or persons suspected of having in his or her possession or having concealed, embezzled, conveyed, or disposed of any of the property of the estate of decedents or incompetents subject to administration under this title, or who has in his or her possession or within his or her knowledge any conveyances, bonds, contracts, or other writings which contain evidence of or may tend to establish the right, title, interest, or claim of the deceased in and to any property. If such person be not in the county in which the letters were granted, he or she may be cited and examined either before the court of the county where found or before the court issuing the order of citation, and if he or she be found innocent of the charges he or she shall be entitled to recover costs of the estate, which costs shall be fees and mileage of witnesses, statutory attorney's fees, and such per diem and mileage for the person so charged as allowed to witnesses in civil proceedings. Such party may be brought before the court by means of citation such as the court may choose to issue, and if he or she refuses to answer such interrogatories as may be put to him or her touching such matters, the court may commit him or her to the county jail, there to remain until he or she shall be willing to make such answers.
The court shall have authority to bring before it any person or persons suspected of having in his or her possession or having concealed, embezzled, conveyed, or disposed of any of the property of the estate of decedents or incompetents subject to administration under this title, or who has in his or her possession or within his or her knowledge any conveyances, bonds, contracts, or other writings which contain evidence of or may tend to establish the right, title, interest, or claim of the deceased in and to any property. If such person be not in the county in which the letters were granted, he or she may be cited and examined either before the court of the county where found or before the court issuing the order of citation, and if he or she be found innocent of the charges he or she shall be entitled to recover costs of the estate, which costs shall be fees and mileage of witnesses, statutory attorney's fees, and such per diem and mileage for the person so charged as allowed to witnesses in civil proceedings. Such party may be brought before the court by means of citation such as the court may choose to issue, and if he or she refuses to answer such interrogatories as may be put to him or her touching such matters, the court may commit him or her to the county jail, there to remain until he or she shall be willing to make such answers.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=11.48&full=trueFetched: 6/28/2026