MacUmber v. Shafer

The United States District Court for the Western District of Washington has certified the following question to this court pursuant to RCW 2.60:

Does the 1977 amendment to the Washington Homestead Statute (RCW 6.12.050), which amendment increased the exemption amount from $10,000 to $20,000, permit a debtor to claim the increased exemption amount as against a creditor who extended unsecured credit prior to the date of the amendment?

We answer this question in the affirmative.

The stipulated facts indicate that prior to May 28, 1977, appellant, William Macumber, obtained an unsecured loan of…