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Camden County, GA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Camden County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Camden County Probate Court |
| Courthouse address | 210 East 4th Street, Woodbine, GA 31569 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 818, Woodbine, GA 31569 |
| Phone | (912) 576-3785 |
| Fax | (912) 576-5484 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Filing fee | The base filing fee for a decedent's-estate petition is $175.00 under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-60, effective January 1, 2025, plus statutory add-ons, service and publication. Confirm the current total with the Probate Court before filing. |
| Local forms | No county-specific decedent's-estate forms are published. Use the statewide Georgia Probate Court Standard Forms. |
| E-filing | No probate e-filing is offered for Camden County. File on paper at the counter or by mail. Original wills are always filed on paper. |
| Case lookup | No online Camden County probate case lookup is published. Camden County is not listed in the georgiaprobaterecords.com estate search used by participating Georgia probate courts. Call the Probate Court for case information. |
| Remote appearance | No remote appearance policy is published. Call (912) 576-3785 to ask whether your hearing can be handled without appearing in person. |
| Website | https://www.co.camden.ga.us/246/Probate-Court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Camden County, list the decedent's assets, debts, beneficiaries and titled property. Probate may be unnecessary for jointly owned property with survivorship rights or accounts with valid beneficiary designations, while real property in the decedent's sole name usually needs a court-authorized path.
Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery can help families find accounts before choosing the estate settlement path. That matters in Camden County because there is no probate e-filing, publication costs are separate, and the petition should match the assets you actually need authority to handle.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Camden County Probate Court at 210 East 4th Street in Woodbine serves all Camden County communities, including Woodbine, Kingsland, St. Marys and unincorporated coastal and inland areas. Georgia has one probate court in each county, so a Camden County estate is filed with the Camden County Probate Court itself.
Administration may be granted in Camden County only for a person who lived in Camden County at death, or for a nonresident of Georgia who owned property in Camden County or had a cause of action against someone there (O.C.G.A. § 15-9-31). A petition for an order that no administration is necessary is filed in the decedent's Georgia county of domicile, or where Georgia real property is located if the decedent was not domiciled in Georgia (O.C.G.A. § 53-2-40).
A party seeking review of a Camden County Probate Court decision files a petition for review in the superior court within 30 days of the judgment (O.C.G.A. § 5-3-7). The superior court proceeding is de novo, with the jury right preserved (O.C.G.A. § 5-3-5).
The jurisdiction process
- File the original will, if there is one, with the Camden County Probate Court with reasonable promptness (O.C.G.A. § 53-5-5). Camden County takes estate filings on paper at 210 East 4th Street, Woodbine, or by mail to P.O. Box 818, Woodbine, GA 31569.
- Choose the correct statewide GPCSF petition. With a will, Georgia uses common form or solemn form probate under O.C.G.A. § 53-5. Common form is not conclusive for four years from the order admitting the will (O.C.G.A. § 53-5-19). With no will, the usual petition is for letters of administration under O.C.G.A. § 53-6-20.
- Pay the filing cost when you file. The base filing fee for a decedent's-estate petition is $175.00 under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-60, effective January 1, 2025, plus statutory add-ons, service and publication. Call (912) 576-3785 to confirm the current Camden County total.
- Handle citation, service and publication. The court issues the citation, and the petitioner arranges service, acknowledgment or publication as the form requires. Solemn form requires service on heirs at least 30 days before probate unless waived (O.C.G.A. § 53-5-22). Published citations and creditor notices run in the Tribune & Georgian.
- Take the oath before the probate judge or a court clerk. The oath cannot be administered by a notary. If you live outside Georgia, ask about using GPCSF 53 so a court where you live can administer the oath.
- Address bond if required. An administrator of an intestate estate must give bond unless all heirs consent to waive it (O.C.G.A. § 53-6-50).
- Receive authority from the court. Once the court approves the petition and the petitioner qualifies, letters testamentary or letters of administration issue so the personal representative can act for the estate.
- Publish the notice to creditors. The personal representative must publish within 60 days of qualification, once a week for four weeks, in the Tribune & Georgian. Creditors who do not notify the personal representative within three months after the last publication lose equal participation rights under O.C.G.A. § 53-7-41.
- Inventory, administer and distribute. Unless waived, file the inventory with the court and mail it to heirs or beneficiaries within six months of qualification (O.C.G.A. § 53-7-30, O.C.G.A. § 53-7-32). Then collect assets, pay valid claims and distribute under the will or Georgia law.
- Close the estate. When administration is complete, file the required fiduciary compliance report and petition for discharge using GPCSF 33.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Camden County
Camden County uses Georgia's statewide probate forms, called the Georgia Probate Court Standard Forms or GPCSF series. A standard form prepared under Uniform Probate Court Rule 5.9 is acceptable in any Georgia probate court, and a court may decline to process a substitute document that does not conform to the standard form.
| Form | Use |
|---|---|
| GPCSF 3 | Petition for Letters of Administration when there is no will. |
| GPCSF 4 | Petition to Probate Will in Common Form under O.C.G.A. § 53-5. |
| GPCSF 5 | Petition to Probate Will in Solemn Form under O.C.G.A. § 53-5. |
| GPCSF 7 | Petition to Probate Will in Solemn Form and for Letters of Administration with Will Annexed. |
| GPCSF 9 | Petition for Order Declaring No Administration Necessary under O.C.G.A. § 53-2-40. |
| GPCSF 10 | Petition for Year's Support under O.C.G.A. § 53-3. |
| GPCSF 13 | Petition of Personal Representative for Leave to Sell Property. |
| GPCSF 32 | Petition by Personal Representative for Waiver of Bond and/or Grant of Certain Powers. |
| GPCSF 33 | Petition for Discharge of Personal Representative. |
| GPCSF 53 | Commission to Administer Oath, often used when the petitioner is outside Georgia. |
Camden County Probate Court publishes no local decedent's-estate packet, cover sheet or checklist. Get current statewide forms from the Council of Probate Court Judges of Georgia before filing.
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Camden County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | First identify whether the home passes outside probate by survivorship. If property or accounts were in the decedent's sole name, file on paper with the Camden County Probate Court. Year's support under O.C.G.A. § 53-3 may set aside property, including a family home, and must be filed within 24 months of death under O.C.G.A. § 53-3-5. | Sunset helps sort title, debts and beneficiary designations before the family pays for a petition or publication. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Camden County does not offer probate e-filing, so file by mail or in person and send the original will on paper. The oath cannot be notarized, so use GPCSF 53 if you will take the oath before a court outside Georgia. If the only asset is a financial institution deposit, ask the institution whether release without a court filing applies under O.C.G.A. § 7-1-239. | Sunset helps decide whether a court filing is needed and prepares the Georgia form packet for paper filing in Woodbine. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Selling a house usually requires authority from the Camden County Probate Court. The personal representative may seek expanded powers under O.C.G.A. § 53-7-1(b) on GPCSF 32 or file GPCSF 13 for leave to sell. If there is no will, all heirs agree and debts are resolved, an order that no administration is necessary under O.C.G.A. § 53-2-40 may vest title in the heirs, with the land order recorded through the Camden County Clerk of Superior Court. | Sunset helps gather heir information, identify debts and connect the family with a Camden County probate attorney when real property must be sold. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Camden County Probate Court | Local filing office for Camden County estates. The court is at 210 East 4th Street, Woodbine, and can confirm current filing totals, publication handling and paper filing instructions. | https://www.co.camden.ga.us/246/Probate-Court |
| Georgia Probate Court Standard Forms | Current statewide GPCSF forms used for Camden County probate filings. | https://gaprobate.gov/standard-forms/ |
| Council of Probate Court Judges of Georgia | Statewide probate court information, Uniform Probate Court Rules and court directory. | https://gaprobate.gov/ |
| Georgia Legal Services Program | Free civil legal help for people who qualify in Georgia counties outside metro Atlanta, including Camden County. Use the statewide intake number, 1-833-457-7529. | https://www.glsp.org/need-help/ |
| GeorgiaLegalAid.org | Plain-language Georgia legal information, including wills, estates and steps after a death. | https://www.georgialegalaid.org/ |
| Georgia Courts self-help resources | Judicial Council and Administrative Office of the Courts orientation for people navigating court without a lawyer. | https://georgiacourts.gov/a2j/self-help-resources/navigating-the-courts/ |
When to hire an attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps identify accounts, policies and property that may affect the Camden County filing decision. That asset picture helps the family understand whether probate, year's support under O.C.G.A. § 53-3, or another estate settlement step should come first.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the family information into a Camden County probate checklist and draft packet using the Georgia Probate Court Standard Forms, so you know what to print, sign and file with the Probate Court in Woodbine.
Find a local probate attorney. When a sale of Camden County real property, a caveat, creditor dispute or petition for review is likely, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Georgia probate attorney who handles Camden County matters.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize an estate settlement, understand the next filing step and decide whether they need local counsel before paying a filing fee or publication cost.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Camden County, Georgia?
File with the Camden County Probate Court at 210 East 4th Street, Woodbine, GA 31569, or mail papers to P.O. Box 818, Woodbine, GA 31569. Georgia venue allows administration in the county where the decedent lived at death, or for a nonresident, where the decedent owned property or had a cause of action in Georgia (O.C.G.A. § 15-9-31).
Can I file a Camden County probate case online?
No. Camden County probate filings are on paper. File at the Probate Court counter or by mail. Georgia also requires the original will and any codicil to be filed on paper under Uniform Probate Court Rule 5.3.12(B).
What does it cost to open an estate in Camden County?
The base filing fee for a decedent's-estate petition is $175.00 under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-60, effective January 1, 2025, plus statutory add-ons, service and publication. Camden County does not publish a current decedent's-estate total online, so call (912) 576-3785 before filing.
Does Camden County have its own probate forms?
No. Camden County uses the statewide Georgia Probate Court Standard Forms. For common form and solemn form probate, use the appropriate GPCSF will petition under O.C.G.A. § 53-5. For an order that no administration is necessary, use GPCSF 9 under O.C.G.A. § 53-2-40.
How do I look up a Camden County estate case?
Camden County is not listed in the georgiaprobaterecords.com estate search used by participating Georgia probate courts. Call the Camden County Probate Court at (912) 576-3785 for case information.
What are the Camden County Probate Court hours?
The court is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Call before traveling if you need to confirm a filing cutoff or ask whether an appointment is needed for your situation.
Do I have to travel to Woodbine if I live out of state?
Often you can mail the petition, but the oath cannot be taken before a notary. It must be administered by a probate judge or clerk, and an out-of-state petitioner can use GPCSF 53 to have the oath administered by a court where they live.
Where is the notice to creditors published in Camden County?
The notice to creditors is published in the Tribune & Georgian, the Camden County legal organ. After qualification, the personal representative must publish within 60 days, once a week for four weeks, and creditors who do not notify the personal representative within three months after the last publication lose equal participation rights under O.C.G.A. § 53-7-41.
What if I disagree with a Camden County Probate Court decision?
A party seeking review files a petition for review in the superior court within 30 days of the judgment under O.C.G.A. § 5-3-7. The superior court hears the matter de novo, with the jury right preserved, under O.C.G.A. § 5-3-5.
Shaped by the families we've helped
Thank you to the thousands of families who have trusted Sunset to help settle their loved ones' estates. This page is shaped by the questions they actually asked and the obstacles they actually hit — and that hard-won experience is what keeps it accurate, current, and genuinely useful to the families who come next.