What is a petition for interpleader in civil litigation?

A petition for interpleader in civil litigation is a type of lawsuit filed in Washington wherein a party, called the stakeholder, holds property or funds that belong to two or more other parties, called claimants. The petition allows the stakeholder to deposit the disputed funds or property with the court, and the court then resolves the dispute between the two or more claimants. The purpose of filing a petition for interpleader is to prevent the stakeholder from being sued by both parties for the same property or funds. The petitioner must provide the names and addresses of the claimants and a statement of the amount or value of the property or funds in dispute. After filing the petition, the stakeholder deposits the property or funds with the court and notifies the claimants. The claimants then file competing claims to the property or funds held by the court. In some cases, like disputes over money held in a bank account, the court may allow the stakeholder to deposit the funds in a separate account pending the outcome of the dispute. The court will then hold a hearing to determine which of the claimants is legally entitled to the property or funds. The court may award the property or funds to one of the claimants or may order the property or funds to be shared among the claimants. Once a decision is rendered, the court will direct the stakeholder to turn the property or funds over to the claimant that is legally entitled to it.

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What is a petition for interpleader in civil litigation?

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