wills for the people.
Probate Services
What does it mean to "probate" an estate in Georgia?
Going through the legal process of closing someone’s affairs after death is known as “probating” an estate and happens in Probate Court. This process involves giving away the assets of the person who passed away, paying the bills and debts of the person, and establishing who will care for any minor children or dependents.
Probating an estate can look different for different families, and is highly dependent on the circumstances of the person who died.
Overwhelmed and unsure where to start? Book a consultation call with Attorney Knox Lee and receive help identifying your options next steps to take.
Probating an estate in Georgia can be a long and confusing process, but sometimes it is simple and straight forward. There is no requirement to have an attorney to probate an estate. There are fillable forms the Georgia courts make available for use and they can be found here. Often the local Clerk's office will provide some information about the process you must take, but they cannot provide legal advice.
You may have the time, energy, and knowledge to handle probating an estate on your own. If you need support, we are here to help.
We provide two levels of support in probate cases:
Probate Navigation and Advice — We provide support and advice on your case, but do not represent you. In this Program, we meet with you regularly to guide you through each step of the process, ensuring that you meet timelines, know what to do next and how to do it. This option works well for people who can handle the leg work of probate, like completing and filing the documents, attending court hearings, and working with the local newspaper to make sure any required publications occur.
Probate Representation— When you don't have the time, energy, or expertise to go through the probate process, we can help. We provide full representation in Court through the final order.
Having an attorney can be a worthwhile investment particularly when there are complex estates with large amounts of assets, property owned by multiple people, or just difficult family relationships to manage, all of which complicate probate. These situations often require an attorney to advocate on behalf of the family to ensure that the deceased loved one's wishes can be followed as completely as possible.
All probate cases are retainer-based. We are pleased to offer legal fee financing through Affirm/PayLater.