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Cook County, GA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Cook County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Cook County Probate Court |
| Courthouse address | 212 North Hutchinson Avenue, Adel, GA 31620 |
| Mailing address | Use the courthouse address. No separate mailing address is posted. |
| Phone | (229) 896-3941 |
| Fax | (229) 896-6083 |
| Hours | Counter hours are not posted on the court website. Call (229) 896-3941 before traveling to Adel. |
| Filing fee | As of January 1, 2025, O.C.G.A. § 15-9-60 sets a $175.00 base filing fee for a decedent's-estate petition, plus the $15.00 indigent defense fee under O.C.G.A. § 15-21A-6 on each listed decedent's-estate petition. Service and publication are separate. Confirm the current total with the court. |
| Local forms | No county probate forms are posted. Cook County uses the statewide GPCSF forms, and the court site says standard petitions must be typed. |
| E-filing | No online estate filing option is posted. Plan to file on paper in person or by mail. Original wills and surety bonds are always paper under Uniform Probate Court Rule 5.3.12(B). |
| Case search | Cook County appears in georgiaprobaterecords.com, a case portal used by participating Georgia probate courts. If the estate is not listed there, call the Probate Court. |
| Remote appearance | No remote appearance policy is posted. Ask the court whether any hearing can be handled without appearing in person. |
| Website | https://cookcountyprobatecourt.com/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Cook County probate form, identify the assets, debts, beneficiaries and heirs. The right path depends on what is in the estate, whether there is a will, whether real estate must be sold, and whether all heirs agree.
Sunset's estate settlement process includes asset discovery across 2,300 institutions, which can help you find accounts before you file a typed petition with the Cook County Probate Court or mail the packet to Adel.
Which court handles jurisdiction
One courthouse serves Cook County probate matters: the Cook County Probate Court at 212 North Hutchinson Avenue in Adel. The court serves Adel, the county seat, and the unincorporated communities and farmland across Cook County, Georgia.
Georgia has a probate court in every county, and a Cook County estate is filed with its own Probate Court. Administration may be granted only for someone who lived in Cook County at death, or for a nonresident of Georgia who owned property in Cook County or had a cause of action there (O.C.G.A. § 15-9-31). A petition for an order that no administration is necessary is filed in the county of domicile, or where Georgia real property sits if the decedent was not domiciled in Georgia (O.C.G.A. § 53-2-40).
A party seeking review of a Cook 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(b)). The superior court proceeding is de novo, with the right to a jury preserved (O.C.G.A. § 5-3-5(d)).
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the assets, debts, will status, heirs and beneficiaries before filing. If there is a will, the person holding it must file the original with the Cook County Probate Court with reasonable promptness (O.C.G.A. § 53-5-5).
- Choose the statewide GPCSF petition. A will may be probated in common form or solemn form under O.C.G.A. § 53-5; common form is not conclusive for four years from the order admitting the will under O.C.G.A. § 53-5-19. If there is no will, use the appropriate administration petition under O.C.G.A. § 53-6-20.
- Prepare a typed paper packet and file it at 212 North Hutchinson Avenue, Adel, GA 31620, or mail it to the same address. No online estate filing option is posted for Cook County.
- Pay the filing costs when you file. As of January 1, 2025, O.C.G.A. § 15-9-60 sets a $175.00 base fee for a decedent's-estate petition, plus the $15.00 indigent defense fee under O.C.G.A. § 15-21A-6 on each listed decedent's-estate petition. Service and publication are separate, so confirm the current total with the court.
- Follow the court's citation instructions. The court issues the citation, and the petitioner arranges service, acknowledgment or publication as required. Cook County publication runs in the Adel News-Tribune.
- Take the oath before the Cook County probate judge or a probate clerk. The oath cannot be notarized. If you are outside Georgia, use GPCSF 53, Commission to Administer Oath.
- Address bond before letters issue. An administrator of an intestate estate must give bond unless all heirs consent to waive it (O.C.G.A. § 53-6-50).
- Receive letters testamentary or letters of administration. Certified copies of letters cost $10.00 as of January 1, 2025 under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-60.
- Publish the creditor notice within 60 days of qualification, once a week for four weeks, in the Adel News-Tribune. Creditors who do not notify the personal representative within three months after the last publication lose equal participation under O.C.G.A. § 53-7-41.
- File the inventory with the Probate Court and mail it to heirs or beneficiaries within six months after qualification unless it is waived (O.C.G.A. § 53-7-30, O.C.G.A. § 53-7-32).
- Pay valid claims, distribute property, file any required fiduciary compliance report, and close the estate with GPCSF 33 when administration is complete.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Cook County
Cook County Probate Court does not post county-specific probate forms. Georgia uses one statewide set of numbered probate forms, the GPCSF series, adopted for use in probate courts statewide. A document prepared on a standard form is acceptable in any Georgia probate court, and a court may decline to process a substitute that does not conform to the standard form under Uniform Probate Court Rule 5.9.
| Form | Use |
|---|---|
| GPCSF 1 | General Instructions, including the oath rule |
| 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 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 for an out-of-state petitioner |
Cook County's court site adds one practical point: standard petitions must be typed, not handwritten.
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Cook County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Property held with survivorship or a beneficiary designation may pass outside probate. If the home or accounts were in the decedent's sole name, file a paper petition with the Cook County Probate Court. Year's support can set aside property, including a family home, under O.C.G.A. § 53-3, and it must be filed within 24 months of death under O.C.G.A. § 53-3-5. | Sunset helps identify how the home and accounts are titled, organize debts and beneficiaries, and prepare the estate settlement packet for the Adel court. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Cook County has no posted online estate filing option, so file on paper by mail or in person. The original will goes to 212 North Hutchinson Avenue, Adel, GA 31620. The oath cannot be notarized, so use GPCSF 53 or appear before the court. | Sunset helps gather account information, choose the Georgia form path and coordinate the documents you need before you call the court about hours or mailing. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A personal representative who needs to sell a house can ask for expanded powers under O.C.G.A. § 53-7-1(b) using 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 real estate order recorded in the deed records. | Sunset helps map the heirs, identify liens and accounts, and connect the family with a probate attorney if a sale or heir consent issue makes the filing more complex. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Cook County Probate Court | The filing office for Cook County estates. Call (229) 896-3941 before traveling because counter hours are not posted. | https://cookcountyprobatecourt.com/ |
| Georgia Probate Court Standard Forms | Current statewide GPCSF forms used for Cook County probate filings. | https://gaprobate.gov/standard-forms/ |
| Council of Probate Court Judges of Georgia | Statewide probate court information, including Uniform Probate Court Rules and a directory of probate courts. | https://gaprobate.gov/ |
| Georgia probate case portal used by participating courts | Cook County appears in the georgiaprobaterecords.com estate search. If a case is not listed, call the Probate Court. | https://www.georgiaprobaterecords.com/Estates/SearchEstates.aspx |
| Georgia Legal Services Program | Free civil legal help for people who qualify in Cook County. Apply online or call the statewide intake line at 1-833-457-7529. | https://www.glsp.org/need-help/ |
| GeorgiaLegalAid.org | Plain-language Georgia legal information, including wills and estates topics. | https://www.georgialegalaid.org/ |
| Georgia Courts self-help resources | Judicial Council and AOC information for people navigating Georgia courts without a lawyer. | https://georgiacourts.gov/a2j/self-help-resources/navigating-the-courts/ |
When to hire an attorney
A lawyer is not posted as required for every Cook County probate filing, but counsel is often worth it when the estate includes land or farm acreage, heirs do not agree, a caveat is filed, a sale of real estate requires court authority, or a party is considering a petition for review under O.C.G.A. § 5-3-7(b), followed by a de novo superior court proceeding under O.C.G.A. § 5-3-5(d). Sunset connects families to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families identify accounts, policies and property that may affect whether a Cook County filing is needed and what belongs in the probate packet.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the estate details into an organized estate settlement packet using the right Georgia form path, so the family can review the Cook County filing before going to Adel or mailing it.
Find a local probate attorney. When land, heir disagreement, a caveat or a real estate sale makes the filing more complex, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Georgia probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset's estate settlement tools are free for families, including asset organization, probate preparation and attorney matching when legal help is needed.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Cook County, Georgia?
File with the Cook County Probate Court at 212 North Hutchinson Avenue, Adel, GA 31620. Georgia venue allows administration for someone who lived in Cook County at death, or for a nonresident of Georgia who owned property in Cook County or had a cause of action there (O.C.G.A. § 15-9-31).
Can I file a Cook County probate case online?
No online estate filing option is posted for Cook County Probate Court. Plan to file on paper at the Adel counter or by mail, and remember that the original will and any surety bond must be paper under Uniform Probate Court Rule 5.3.12(B).
What does it cost to open an estate in Cook County?
As of January 1, 2025, O.C.G.A. § 15-9-60 sets a $175.00 base fee for a decedent's-estate petition. The $15.00 indigent defense fee under O.C.G.A. § 15-21A-6 also applies to each listed decedent's-estate petition, and service and publication are separate. Call (229) 896-3941 to confirm the current total before filing.
Does Cook County Probate Court have its own probate forms?
No county-specific probate forms are posted. Cook County uses the statewide GPCSF forms. The court site says standard petitions must be typed.
How do I look up a Cook County estate case?
Cook County appears in georgiaprobaterecords.com, a case portal used by participating Georgia probate courts. If the estate does not appear there, call the Cook County Probate Court directly.
What are the Cook County Probate Court hours?
The court's counter hours are not posted on its website. Call (229) 896-3941 before traveling to Adel.
Do I have to travel to Adel if I live out of state?
Often you can mail the paper petition, but the oath cannot be notarized. An out-of-state petitioner either appears before the Cook County probate judge or clerk, or uses GPCSF 53 to take the oath before a court where the petitioner lives.
Where is the notice to creditors published in Cook County?
The county legal organ is the Adel News-Tribune. After letters issue, the personal representative must publish the creditor notice within 60 days of qualification, once a week for four weeks, and creditors have three months from the last publication to notify the personal representative of claims under O.C.G.A. § 53-7-41.
What if I disagree with a Cook 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(b). The superior court proceeding is de novo, with the right to a jury preserved under O.C.G.A. § 5-3-5(d).
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.