Georgia Probate Court Finder
For detailed information about the probate court procedures in your county, including relevant forms, fees, and contact information, please enter your ZIP code or select your county. This will direct you to a page providing tailored information about the probate court in your area.
Georgia Probate Courts
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Fulton County Probate Court
County Seat: (Atlanta) FIPS: 13121 - pop.1,066,710 -
Gwinnett County Probate Court
County Seat: (Lawrenceville) FIPS: 13135 - pop.957,062 -
Cobb County Probate Court
County Seat: (Marietta) FIPS: 13067 - pop.766,149 -
DeKalb County Probate Court
County Seat: (Decatur) FIPS: 13089 - pop.764,382 -
Clayton County Probate Court
County Seat: (Jonesboro) FIPS: 13063 - pop.297,595 -
Chatham County Probate Court
County Seat: (Savannah) FIPS: 13051 - pop.295,291 -
Cherokee County Probate Court
County Seat: (Canton) FIPS: 13057 - pop.266,620 -
Forsyth County Probate Court
County Seat: (Cumming) FIPS: 13117 - pop.251,283 -
Henry County Probate Court
County Seat: (McDonough) FIPS: 13151 - pop.240,712 -
Muscogee County Probate Court
County Seat: (Columbus) FIPS: 13215 - pop.206,922 -
Richmond County Probate Court
County Seat: (Augusta) FIPS: 13245 - pop.206,607 -
Hall County Probate Court
County Seat: (Gainesville) FIPS: 13139 - pop.203,136 -
Paulding County Probate Court
County Seat: (Dallas) FIPS: 13223 - pop.168,661 -
Houston County Probate Court
County Seat: (Perry) FIPS: 13153 - pop.163,633 -
Bibb County Probate Court
County Seat: (Macon) FIPS: 13021 - pop.157,346 -
Columbia County Probate Court
County Seat: (Appling) FIPS: 13073 - pop.156,010 -
Coweta County Probate Court
County Seat: (Newnan) FIPS: 13077 - pop.146,158 -
Douglas County Probate Court
County Seat: (Douglasville) FIPS: 13097 - pop.144,237 -
Clarke County Probate Court
County Seat: (Athens) FIPS: 13059 - pop.128,671 -
Fayette County Probate Court
County Seat: (Fayetteville) FIPS: 13113 - pop.119,194 -
Carroll County Probate Court
County Seat: (Carrollton) FIPS: 13045 - pop.119,148 -
Lowndes County Probate Court
County Seat: (Valdosta) FIPS: 13185 - pop.118,251 -
Newton County Probate Court
County Seat: (Covington) FIPS: 13217 - pop.112,483 -
Bartow County Probate Court
County Seat: (Cartersville) FIPS: 13015 - pop.108,901 -
Whitfield County Probate Court
County Seat: (Dalton) FIPS: 13313 - pop.102,864 -
Floyd County Probate Court
County Seat: (Rome) FIPS: 13115 - pop.98,584 -
Walton County Probate Court
County Seat: (Monroe) FIPS: 13297 - pop.96,673 -
Rockdale County Probate Court
County Seat: (Conyers) FIPS: 13247 - pop.93,570 -
Dougherty County Probate Court
County Seat: (Albany) FIPS: 13095 - pop.85,790 -
Glynn County Probate Court
County Seat: (Brunswick) FIPS: 13127 - pop.84,499 -
Barrow County Probate Court
County Seat: (Winder) FIPS: 13013 - pop.83,505 -
Bulloch County Probate Court
County Seat: (Statesboro) FIPS: 13031 - pop.81,099 -
Jackson County Probate Court
County Seat: (Jefferson) FIPS: 13157 - pop.75,907 -
Troup County Probate Court
County Seat: (Lagrange) FIPS: 13285 - pop.69,426 -
Catoosa County Probate Court
County Seat: (Ringgold) FIPS: 13047 - pop.67,872 -
Walker County Probate Court
County Seat: (Lafayette) FIPS: 13295 - pop.67,654 -
Spalding County Probate Court
County Seat: (Griffin) FIPS: 13255 - pop.67,306 -
Liberty County Probate Court
County Seat: (Hinesville) FIPS: 13179 - pop.65,256 -
Effingham County Probate Court
County Seat: (Springfield) FIPS: 13103 - pop.64,769 -
Gordon County Probate Court
County Seat: (Calhoun) FIPS: 13129 - pop.57,544 -
Camden County Probate Court
County Seat: (Woodbine) FIPS: 13039 - pop.54,768 -
Laurens County Probate Court
County Seat: (Dublin) FIPS: 13175 - pop.49,570 -
Habersham County Probate Court
County Seat: (Clarkesville) FIPS: 13137 - pop.46,031 -
Colquitt County Probate Court
County Seat: (Moultrie) FIPS: 13071 - pop.45,898 -
Thomas County Probate Court
County Seat: (Thomasville) FIPS: 13275 - pop.45,798 -
Bryan County Probate Court
County Seat: (Pembroke) FIPS: 13029 - pop.44,738 -
Baldwin County Probate Court
County Seat: (Milledgeville) FIPS: 13009 - pop.43,799 -
Coffee County Probate Court
County Seat: (Douglas) FIPS: 13069 - pop.43,092 -
Polk County Probate Court
County Seat: (Cedartown) FIPS: 13233 - pop.42,853 -
Oconee County Probate Court
County Seat: (Watkinsville) FIPS: 13219 - pop.41,799 -
Tift County Probate Court
County Seat: (Tifton) FIPS: 13277 - pop.41,344 -
Murray County Probate Court
County Seat: (Chatsworth) FIPS: 13213 - pop.39,973 -
Ware County Probate Court
County Seat: (Waycross) FIPS: 13299 - pop.36,251 -
Harris County Probate Court
County Seat: (Hamilton) FIPS: 13145 - pop.34,668 -
Lumpkin County Probate Court
County Seat: (Dahlonega) FIPS: 13187 - pop.33,488 -
Pickens County Probate Court
County Seat: (Jasper) FIPS: 13227 - pop.33,216 -
Lee County Probate Court
County Seat: (Leesburg) FIPS: 13177 - pop.33,163 -
Gilmer County Probate Court
County Seat: (Ellijay) FIPS: 13123 - pop.31,353 -
Wayne County Probate Court
County Seat: (Jesup) FIPS: 13305 - pop.30,144 -
Madison County Probate Court
County Seat: (Danielsville) FIPS: 13195 - pop.30,120 -
Haralson County Probate Court
County Seat: (Buchanan) FIPS: 13143 - pop.29,919 -
Sumter County Probate Court
County Seat: (Americus) FIPS: 13261 - pop.29,616 -
Decatur County Probate Court
County Seat: (Bainbridge) FIPS: 13087 - pop.29,367 -
Jones County Probate Court
County Seat: (Gray) FIPS: 13169 - pop.28,347 -
White County Probate Court
County Seat: (Cleveland) FIPS: 13311 - pop.28,003 -
Peach County Probate Court
County Seat: (Fort Valley) FIPS: 13225 - pop.27,981 -
Monroe County Probate Court
County Seat: (Forsyth) FIPS: 13207 - pop.27,957 -
Upson County Probate Court
County Seat: (Thomaston) FIPS: 13293 - pop.27,700 -
Toombs County Probate Court
County Seat: (Lyons) FIPS: 13279 - pop.27,030 -
Dawson County Probate Court
County Seat: (Dawsonville) FIPS: 13085 - pop.26,798 -
Stephens County Probate Court
County Seat: (Toccoa) FIPS: 13257 - pop.26,784 -
Grady County Probate Court
County Seat: (Cairo) FIPS: 13131 - pop.26,236 -
Hart County Probate Court
County Seat: (Hartwell) FIPS: 13147 - pop.25,828 -
Butts County Probate Court
County Seat: (Jackson) FIPS: 13035 - pop.25,434 -
Fannin County Probate Court
County Seat: (Blue Ridge) FIPS: 13111 - pop.25,319 -
Chattooga County Probate Court
County Seat: (Summerville) FIPS: 13055 - pop.24,965 -
Union County Probate Court
County Seat: (Blairsville) FIPS: 13291 - pop.24,632 -
Burke County Probate Court
County Seat: (Waynesboro) FIPS: 13033 - pop.24,596 -
Franklin County Probate Court
County Seat: (Carnesville) FIPS: 13119 - pop.23,424 -
Tattnall County Probate Court
County Seat: (Reidsville) FIPS: 13267 - pop.22,842 -
Emanuel County Probate Court
County Seat: (Swainsboro) FIPS: 13107 - pop.22,768 -
Putnam County Probate Court
County Seat: (Eatonton) FIPS: 13237 - pop.22,047 -
Mitchell County Probate Court
County Seat: (Camilla) FIPS: 13205 - pop.21,755 -
McDuffie County Probate Court
County Seat: (Thomson) FIPS: 13189 - pop.21,632 -
Worth County Probate Court
County Seat: (Sylvester) FIPS: 13321 - pop.20,784 -
Meriwether County Probate Court
County Seat: (Greenville) FIPS: 13199 - pop.20,613 -
Crisp County Probate Court
County Seat: (Cordele) FIPS: 13081 - pop.20,128 -
Morgan County Probate Court
County Seat: (Madison) FIPS: 13211 - pop.20,097 -
Washington County Probate Court
County Seat: (Sandersville) FIPS: 13303 - pop.19,988 -
Dodge County Probate Court
County Seat: (Eastman) FIPS: 13091 - pop.19,925 -
Pierce County Probate Court
County Seat: (Blackshear) FIPS: 13229 - pop.19,716 -
Elbert County Probate Court
County Seat: (Elberton) FIPS: 13105 - pop.19,637 -
Greene County Probate Court
County Seat: (Greensboro) FIPS: 13133 - pop.18,915 -
Pike County Probate Court
County Seat: (Zebulon) FIPS: 13231 - pop.18,889 -
Lamar County Probate Court
County Seat: (Barnesville) FIPS: 13171 - pop.18,500 -
Appling County Probate Court
County Seat: (Baxley) FIPS: 13001 - pop.18,444 -
Berrien County Probate Court
County Seat: (Nashville) FIPS: 13019 - pop.18,160 -
Banks County Probate Court
County Seat: (Homer) FIPS: 13011 - pop.18,035 -
Brantley County Probate Court
County Seat: (Nahunta) FIPS: 13025 - pop.18,021 -
Cook County Probate Court
County Seat: (Adel) FIPS: 13075 - pop.17,229 -
Ben Hill County Probate Court
County Seat: (Fitzgerald) FIPS: 13017 - pop.17,194 -
Rabun County Probate Court
County Seat: (Clayton) FIPS: 13241 - pop.16,883 -
Brooks County Probate Court
County Seat: (Quitman) FIPS: 13027 - pop.16,301 -
Dade County Probate Court
County Seat: (Trenton) FIPS: 13083 - pop.16,251 -
Long County Probate Court
County Seat: (Ludowici) FIPS: 13183 - pop.16,168 -
Jefferson County Probate Court
County Seat: (Louisville) FIPS: 13163 - pop.15,709 -
Oglethorpe County Probate Court
County Seat: (Lexington) FIPS: 13221 - pop.14,825 -
Jeff Davis County Probate Court
County Seat: (Hazlehurst) FIPS: 13161 - pop.14,779 -
Jasper County Probate Court
County Seat: (Monticello) FIPS: 13159 - pop.14,588 -
Screven County Probate Court
County Seat: (Sylvania) FIPS: 13251 - pop.14,067 -
Bleckley County Probate Court
County Seat: (Cochran) FIPS: 13023 - pop.12,583 -
Charlton County Probate Court
County Seat: (Folkston) FIPS: 13049 - pop.12,518 -
Towns County Probate Court
County Seat: (Hiawassee) FIPS: 13281 - pop.12,493 -
Telfair County Probate Court
County Seat: (McRae) FIPS: 13271 - pop.12,477 -
Crawford County Probate Court
County Seat: (Knoxville) FIPS: 13079 - pop.12,130 -
Macon County Probate Court
County Seat: (Oglethorpe) FIPS: 13193 - pop.12,082 -
Heard County Probate Court
County Seat: (Franklin) FIPS: 13149 - pop.11,412 -
Dooly County Probate Court
County Seat: (Vienna) FIPS: 13093 - pop.11,208 -
Bacon County Probate Court
County Seat: (Alma) FIPS: 13005 - pop.11,140 -
Candler County Probate Court
County Seat: (Metter) FIPS: 13043 - pop.10,981 -
McIntosh County Probate Court
County Seat: (Darien) FIPS: 13191 - pop.10,975 -
Early County Probate Court
County Seat: (Blakely) FIPS: 13099 - pop.10,854 -
Evans County Probate Court
County Seat: (Claxton) FIPS: 13109 - pop.10,774 -
Lanier County Probate Court
County Seat: (Lakeland) FIPS: 13173 - pop.9,877 -
Pulaski County Probate Court
County Seat: (Hawkinsville) FIPS: 13235 - pop.9,855 -
Irwin County Probate Court
County Seat: (Ocilla) FIPS: 13155 - pop.9,666 -
Chattahoochee County Probate Court
County Seat: (Cusseta) FIPS: 13053 - pop.9,565 -
Wilkes County Probate Court
County Seat: (Washington) FIPS: 13317 - pop.9,565 -
Johnson County Probate Court
County Seat: (Wrightsville) FIPS: 13167 - pop.9,189 -
Terrell County Probate Court
County Seat: (Dawson) FIPS: 13273 - pop.9,185 -
Seminole County Probate Court
County Seat: (Donalsonville) FIPS: 13253 - pop.9,147 -
Turner County Probate Court
County Seat: (Ashburn) FIPS: 13287 - pop.9,006 -
Wilkinson County Probate Court
County Seat: (Irwinton) FIPS: 13319 - pop.8,877 -
Wilcox County Probate Court
County Seat: (Abbeville) FIPS: 13315 - pop.8,766 -
Hancock County Probate Court
County Seat: (Sparta) FIPS: 13141 - pop.8,735 -
Jenkins County Probate Court
County Seat: (Millen) FIPS: 13165 - pop.8,674 -
Montgomery County Probate Court
County Seat: (Mount Vernon) FIPS: 13209 - pop.8,610 -
Atkinson County Probate Court
County Seat: (Pearson) FIPS: 13003 - pop.8,286 -
Twiggs County Probate Court
County Seat: (Jeffersonville) FIPS: 13289 - pop.8,022 -
Taylor County Probate Court
County Seat: (Butler) FIPS: 13269 - pop.7,816 -
Lincoln County Probate Court
County Seat: (Lincolnton) FIPS: 13181 - pop.7,690 -
Marion County Probate Court
County Seat: (Buena Vista) FIPS: 13197 - pop.7,498 -
Wheeler County Probate Court
County Seat: (Alamo) FIPS: 13309 - pop.7,471 -
Clinch County Probate Court
County Seat: (Homerville) FIPS: 13065 - pop.6,749 -
Randolph County Probate Court
County Seat: (Cuthbert) FIPS: 13243 - pop.6,425 -
Treutlen County Probate Court
County Seat: (Soperton) FIPS: 13283 - pop.6,406 -
Miller County Probate Court
County Seat: (Colquitt) FIPS: 13201 - pop.6,000 -
Talbot County Probate Court
County Seat: (Talbotton) FIPS: 13263 - pop.5,733 -
Calhoun County Probate Court
County Seat: (Morgan) FIPS: 13037 - pop.5,573 -
Stewart County Probate Court
County Seat: (Lumpkin) FIPS: 13259 - pop.5,314 -
Warren County Probate Court
County Seat: (Warrenton) FIPS: 13301 - pop.5,215 -
Schley County Probate Court
County Seat: (Ellaville) FIPS: 13249 - pop.4,547 -
Echols County Probate Court
County Seat: (Statenville) FIPS: 13101 - pop.3,697 -
Glascock County Probate Court
County Seat: (Gibson) FIPS: 13125 - pop.2,884 -
Baker County Probate Court
County Seat: (Newton) FIPS: 13007 - pop.2,876 -
Clay County Probate Court
County Seat: (Fort Gaines) FIPS: 13061 - pop.2,848 -
Webster County Probate Court
County Seat: (Preston) FIPS: 13307 - pop.2,348 -
Quitman County Probate Court
County Seat: (Georgetown) FIPS: 13239 - pop.2,235 -
Taliaferro County Probate Court
County Seat: (Crawfordville) FIPS: 13265 - pop.1,559
How Georgia Probate Courts Work
What Is Probate?
Probate refers to the legal process through which a deceased person's will is validated by a court. This process ensures that the deceased's assets are distributed according to their wishes as stated in the will, after any debts and taxes are paid.
What Are Probate Courts?
Probate courts, which are specialized judicial bodies, oversee these proceedings.
They also handle matters related to:
- estate administration,
- guardianships, and conservatorships
- when a will is not present
- or in cases of dispute.
It's important to note that the specific procedures and requirements of probate courts can vary significantly from one county to another across the United States. This variation is due to differences in state laws and local court rules. As a result, engaging with a probate court in one jurisdiction might be quite different from doing so in another.
Also, every state has simplified procedures for dealing with small estates... and most estates end up being "small," and most estates do not require the full probate process, especially if the deceased person owned property in one or more of the ways described below.
Types of Property That Does NOT Pass Through Probate Court
Many types of property are designed to bypass the probate process, allowing for a more streamlined transfer of assets upon someone's death. These include:
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Jointly Owned Property: Assets owned in joint tenancy with the right of survivorship or as tenants by the entirety automatically pass to the surviving owner without the need for probate. This is common with real estate, bank accounts, and vehicles owned jointly by two or more individuals.
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Payable-on-Death (POD) and Transfer-on-Death (TOD) Accounts: Financial accounts and securities that are designated as payable-on-death (POD) or transfer-on-death (TOD) can be transferred directly to the named beneficiary upon the account holder's death. This designation allows these assets to skip probate.
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Retirement Accounts and Life Insurance Policies: Funds from retirement accounts, such as IRAs and 401(k)s, and the proceeds from life insurance policies, when a beneficiary is named outside of the will, do not go through probate. These assets go directly to the beneficiaries named in the policies or account documents.
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Living Trusts: Property held in a living trust is another major category that avoids probate. The trust owns the assets, and upon the death of the individual who created the trust (the grantor), the property is transferred according to the terms of the trust, without the need for probate intervention.
These mechanisms are designed to simplify the transfer of assets, reduce the time and cost associated with probate, and ensure privacy since probate is a public process. Understanding which assets fall into these categories can be crucial for estate planning and ensuring a smooth transition of assets to beneficiaries.