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Crawford County, GA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Crawford County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Crawford County Probate Court |
| Courthouse address | 100 GA Highway 42 South, Knoxville, GA 31050 |
| Mailing address | No separate mailing address is published. Use 100 GA Highway 42 South, Knoxville, GA 31050. |
| Phone | (478) 836-3313 |
| Fax | (478) 836-4111 |
| [email protected] | |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except holidays. Closed for lunch from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. |
| Filing fee | $175.00 base for a decedent's-estate petition under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-60, effective January 1, 2025, plus statutory add-ons including the $15.00 indigent defense fee under O.C.G.A. § 15-21A-6, effective January 1, 2025, and separate service and publication costs. Confirm the current total with the court before filing. |
| Local forms | No Crawford County-specific estate forms were found. Crawford County uses the statewide GPCSF forms. |
| E-filing | TrueFiling is available and permissive. Paper filing at the counter or by mail remains available. The original will and any codicil must reach the Probate Court on paper within ten days of any electronic filing and before letters testamentary issue under Uniform Probate Court Rule 5.3.12(B). |
| Case lookup | georgiaprobaterecords.com is a records portal used by participating Georgia probate courts, and Crawford County is listed in its estate search. If a case is not there, call the Probate Court. |
| Remote appearance | No remote-appearance policy is listed for estate matters. Ask the court whether a hearing can be handled without appearing in person. |
| Website | https://www.crawfordcountyga.org/probate-court/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Crawford County, make a working list of the decedent's probate assets, nonprobate transfers, debts, heirs and beneficiaries. The right Georgia filing depends on whether there is a will, whether the will should be probated in common form or solemn form under O.C.G.A. § 53-5, whether all heirs agree, and whether a house or land must be transferred or sold.
For a Crawford County estate settlement, Sunset can help find accounts and assets across more than 2,300 institutions, organize liabilities and prepare the information needed for the statewide Georgia probate forms before you contact the Probate Court or a lawyer.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Crawford County Probate Court is the single probate filing office for Crawford County, Georgia. It sits in Knoxville, the county seat, and serves Knoxville and the unincorporated communities across the rest of Crawford County west of Macon. There is no probate district or branch filing location for Crawford County.
Administration may be granted only for a person who lived in Crawford County at death, or for a nonresident of Georgia who owned property in Crawford County or had a cause of action here (O.C.G.A. § 15-9-31). If the requested route is an order that no administration is necessary, the petition is filed in the probate court of the decedent's Georgia county of domicile, or in the county where the 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 Crawford 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 proceeding is de novo, with the jury right preserved (O.C.G.A. § 5-3-5(d)).
The jurisdiction process
- Confirm that Crawford County is the right venue. File in Crawford County if the decedent lived there at death, or if a nonresident of Georgia owned property in Crawford County or had a cause of action here (O.C.G.A. § 15-9-31).
- File the original will, if there is one, with the Crawford County Probate Court with reasonable promptness (O.C.G.A. § 53-5-5). If you use TrueFiling for allowed documents, the original will and any codicil still must reach the court on paper within ten days of the electronic filing and before letters testamentary issue.
- Choose the statewide GPCSF petition. With a will, use the common form or solemn form route under O.C.G.A. § 53-5. Common form does not become conclusive for four years from the date of the order under O.C.G.A. § 53-5-19. With no will, use the petition for letters of administration under O.C.G.A. § 53-6-20. If the heirs agree and the statutory conditions fit, the petition may be for an order that no administration is necessary under O.C.G.A. § 53-2-40.
- File at 100 GA Highway 42 South, Knoxville, GA 31050, by mail to that same address, or through TrueFiling for documents that may be filed electronically. Fees are paid at filing. The statutory base 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 including the $15.00 indigent defense fee under O.C.G.A. § 15-21A-6, effective January 1, 2025, and separate service and publication costs.
- Handle citation, service and publication. The court issues the citation, and the petitioner handles service, acknowledgment or publication as required. In Crawford County, published probate notices run in The Georgia Post, Roberta.
- Appear or ask about alternatives if the court sets a hearing. Crawford County does not list a remote-appearance policy for estate matters, so call the Probate Court before assuming you can appear by phone or video.
- Take the oath before the probate judge or a court clerk, not a notary. If the petitioner is outside Georgia, ask about GPCSF 53, Commission to Administer Oath.
- Address bond and letters. An administrator of an intestate estate gives bond unless all heirs consent to waive it (O.C.G.A. § 53-6-50). After qualification, the court issues letters testamentary or letters of administration to the personal representative.
- Administer the estate. Publish the notice to creditors within 60 days of qualification, once a week for four weeks, in The Georgia Post. Creditors who do not notify the personal representative within three months of the last publication lose equal participation under O.C.G.A. § 53-7-41. File the inventory with the court and mail it to heirs or beneficiaries within six months unless waived (O.C.G.A. § 53-7-30, O.C.G.A. § 53-7-32).
- Close the estate settlement. Pay approved claims, distribute property, complete any fiduciary compliance report, and petition for discharge using GPCSF 33 when the estate is ready to close.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Crawford County
Crawford County uses Georgia's statewide Probate Court Standard Forms, the GPCSF series. The statewide forms are adopted for Georgia probate practice, and the county's Probate Court page points families to the Georgia probate forms site rather than publishing a separate Crawford County estate packet.
| Form | Use in Crawford County |
|---|---|
| GPCSF 1 | General instructions, including the rule that the oath is administered by a probate judge or clerk, not a notary. |
| GPCSF 3 | Petition for letters of administration when there is no will. |
| GPCSF 4 | Petition to probate a will in common form under O.C.G.A. § 53-5. Common form does not become conclusive for four years from the order date under O.C.G.A. § 53-5-19. |
| GPCSF 5 | Petition to probate a will in solemn form under O.C.G.A. § 53-5. |
| GPCSF 9 | Petition for an order declaring that no administration is necessary under O.C.G.A. § 53-2-40. |
| GPCSF 10 | Petition for year's support under O.C.G.A. § 53-3. |
| 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 a petitioner outside Georgia. |
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Confirm whether the home passes outside probate by survivorship or another nonprobate transfer. If property or accounts are in the decedent's sole name, file with the Crawford County Probate Court on paper, by mail or through TrueFiling. Year's support under O.C.G.A. § 53-3 can set aside property, including the family home, and must be filed within 24 months of death under O.C.G.A. § 53-3-5. | Sunset helps identify title, accounts and debts so the spouse can decide whether a full estate filing, year's support under O.C.G.A. § 53-3, or another Georgia path fits the estate settlement. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a modest estate | TrueFiling can reduce travel for many documents, but the original will must be delivered to 100 GA Highway 42 South, Knoxville, GA 31050 on paper within ten days of any electronic filing. The oath cannot be notarized. An out-of-state petitioner may need to travel to Knoxville or use GPCSF 53 before a court of record where the petitioner lives. | Sunset helps organize the asset list, generate the Georgia probate packet and flag travel-sensitive steps such as the oath and original will delivery. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate when a home must be sold | Selling a house usually requires a personal representative with authority, a petition for leave to sell on GPCSF 13, or expanded powers requested under O.C.G.A. § 53-7-1(b) and GPCSF 32. 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 proper deed office. | Sunset helps gather ownership, mortgage, heir and debt information and can connect the family with a Georgia probate attorney for a sale or title issue. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Crawford County Probate Court | Local filing office for Crawford County estate matters, with counter hours, TrueFiling access and court contact information. | 100 GA Highway 42 South, Knoxville, GA 31050. (478) 836-3313. [email protected]. https://www.crawfordcountyga.org/probate-court/ |
| Georgia probate records portal used by participating courts | Crawford County is listed in the estate search at georgiaprobaterecords.com. If a case does not appear, call the Probate Court. | https://www.georgiaprobaterecords.com/Estates/SearchEstates.aspx |
| Georgia Probate Court Standard Forms | Current statewide GPCSF forms for probate, administration, year's support under O.C.G.A. § 53-3, an order that no administration is necessary under O.C.G.A. § 53-2-40, discharge and related filings. | https://gaprobate.gov/standard-forms/ |
| Council of Probate Court Judges of Georgia | Statewide probate court information, Uniform Probate Court Rules and directory information for Georgia's probate courts. | https://gaprobate.gov/ |
| Georgia Legal Services Program | Free civil legal help for people who qualify in Georgia counties outside metro Atlanta, including Crawford County. | Apply online or call statewide intake at 1-833-457-7529. https://www.glsp.org/need-help/ |
| GeorgiaLegalAid.org | Plain-language Georgia legal information about 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 Georgia courts. | https://georgiacourts.gov/a2j/self-help-resources/navigating-the-courts/ |
When to hire an attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions to help identify bank, investment, retirement and insurance accounts that may affect a Crawford County estate settlement.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset helps organize the information needed for the Georgia GPCSF forms, including heirs, beneficiaries, assets, liabilities and the local filing office in Knoxville.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Crawford County matter involves land, timber, a sale, a caveat or a petition for review under O.C.G.A. § 5-3-7(b), Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Georgia probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset gives families a practical estate settlement roadmap, document organization and attorney matching without charging families a platform fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file for probate in Crawford County?
File with the Crawford County Probate Court at 100 GA Highway 42 South, Knoxville, GA 31050. Georgia venue for administration is the county where the person lived at death, or, for a nonresident of Georgia, a county where the person owned property or had a cause of action (O.C.G.A. § 15-9-31).
Can I file probate documents online in Crawford County?
Yes, for documents that may be filed electronically, Crawford County offers permissive filing through TrueFiling. It is not mandatory. The original will and any codicil must still be delivered to the Probate Court on paper within ten days of any electronic filing and before letters testamentary issue under Uniform Probate Court Rule 5.3.12(B).
What does it cost to open an estate in Crawford County?
The statutory base fee for a decedent's-estate petition is $175.00 under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-60, effective January 1, 2025. Statutory add-ons, including the $15.00 indigent defense fee under O.C.G.A. § 15-21A-6, effective January 1, 2025, and separate service and publication costs can also apply. Confirm the current total with the Crawford County Probate Court before filing.
Does the Crawford County Probate Court have its own probate forms?
No Crawford County-specific estate packet, cover sheet or checklist is listed. Use the statewide GPCSF forms for estate settlement filings in Crawford County.
How do I look up a Crawford County estate case?
Use georgiaprobaterecords.com, a records portal used by participating Georgia probate courts. Crawford County is listed in the portal's estate search. If the case does not appear, call the Probate Court at (478) 836-3313.
What are the Crawford County Probate Court's hours?
The court is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except holidays, with a lunch closure from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Where is the notice to creditors published in Crawford County?
The notice to creditors is published in The Georgia Post, Roberta. Georgia requires the personal representative to publish within 60 days of qualification, once a week for four weeks, and creditors who do not notify the personal representative within three months of the last publication lose equal participation under O.C.G.A. § 53-7-41. Confirm the current publication charge with the court when the citation is issued.
Do I have to travel to Knoxville for a Crawford County probate case?
Not always. TrueFiling can help with many filings, and mail is available, but the original will must be delivered on paper. The oath for a personal representative cannot be notarized; if you are outside Georgia, ask about using GPCSF 53 so a court of record where you live can administer the oath.
What if I disagree with a Crawford 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 proceeding is de novo, with the jury right preserved under O.C.G.A. § 5-3-5(d).
Does Crawford County list probate hearing days?
The court does not list a fixed estate hearing calendar on its public Probate Court page. Call (478) 836-3313 before choosing travel dates or assuming a hearing can be handled remotely.
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.