WA Bar Washington Property Law 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Washington is a community property state. Which of the following is classified as community property?
- Inheritance received by one spouse during marriage
- Wages earned by either spouse during marriage (Correct answer)
- Property owned by one spouse before marriage
- Gifts made to one spouse during marriage
Correct answer: Wages earned by either spouse during marriage
Under RCW 26.16.030, wages and earnings acquired during marriage are community property in Washington.
Question 2: Under Washington's Deed of Trust Act (RCW 61.24), what is the minimum notice period required before a non-judicial foreclosure sale?
- 30 days
- 45 days
- 90 days
- 120 days (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 120 days
RCW 61.24.040 requires at least 120 days' notice before a trustee's sale under Washington's non-judicial foreclosure process.
Question 3: In Washington, what is the period required for adverse possession to ripen into title when the possessor does not have color of title?
- 7 years
- 10 years (Correct answer)
- 15 years
- 20 years
Correct answer: 10 years
Under RCW 7.28.050, adverse possession in Washington requires 10 years of continuous, actual, open, notorious, exclusive, and hostile possession.
Question 4: Washington's recording act is best classified as which type?
- Race statute
- Notice statute
- Race-notice statute (Correct answer)
- Pure possession statute
Correct answer: Race-notice statute
Washington's recording act (RCW 65.08.070) is a race-notice statute, protecting subsequent purchasers for value who record first without notice of a prior conveyance.
Question 5: Under Washington law, which of the following best describes a joint tenancy compared to a tenancy in common?
- Joint tenancy requires equal shares and includes right of survivorship (Correct answer)
- Tenancy in common requires equal shares but has no survivorship
- Joint tenancy allows unequal shares with survivorship
- Both require equal shares but only tenancy in common has survivorship
Correct answer: Joint tenancy requires equal shares and includes right of survivorship
A Washington joint tenancy requires the four unities (time, title, interest, possession) and equal shares, and carries the right of survivorship not present in a tenancy in common.
Question 6: When a Washington landlord seeks to terminate a month-to-month tenancy without cause, what notice is required?
- 10 days
- 20 days (Correct answer)
- 30 days
- 60 days
Correct answer: 20 days
Under RCW 59.18.200, as amended by recent Washington legislation, landlords must provide 20 days' written notice to terminate a month-to-month tenancy without cause.
WA Bar Washington Property Law 1
Washington is a community property state.
Which of the following is classified as community property?