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Franklin County, GA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Franklin County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Franklin County Probate Court |
| Courthouse address | 7085 Highway 145, Suite A, Carnesville, GA 30521 |
| Mailing | Mail estate papers to the same address: 7085 Highway 145, Suite A, Carnesville, GA 30521. |
| Phone | 706-384-2403 |
| Fax | 706-384-2636 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Filing fee | The statutory base fee for a decedent's-estate petition is $175.00, effective January 1, 2025, under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-60, plus statutory add-ons, service, and publication. The $15.00 indigent defense fee applies to listed decedent's-estate petitions under O.C.G.A. § 15-21A-6. Confirm the current total with the court before filing. |
| Forms | Franklin County uses the statewide Georgia Probate Court Standard Forms, the GPCSF series. The court publishes no county-specific probate cover sheet, checklist, or packet. |
| E-filing | No electronic filing process is published by the Franklin County Probate Court. File estate papers on paper at the counter or by mail. The original will and any codicil must be delivered on paper under Uniform Probate Court Rule 5.3.12(B). |
| Case search | Franklin County appears in georgiaprobaterecords.com, a records portal used by participating Georgia probate courts. If an estate does not appear there, call the court. |
| Remote appearance | No remote appearance instructions are published. Call 706-384-2403 before assuming a hearing can be handled without coming to Carnesville. |
| Website | Franklin County Probate Court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Carnesville, make a full list of the assets, debts, heirs, beneficiaries, and any will or codicil. The right Georgia form depends on whether there is a will, whether the heirs agree, whether land must be sold, and whether a personal representative needs letters testamentary or letters of administration.
Sunset's estate settlement tools can help you find accounts and assets before the petition is prepared. Sunset searches more than 2,300 financial institutions, which can reduce missed accounts and help you decide whether a Franklin County probate filing is needed.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Franklin County has one probate filing office: the Franklin County Probate Court at 7085 Highway 145, Suite A, Carnesville, GA 30521. The court serves Carnesville, the county seat, and the unincorporated communities across Franklin County.
Georgia has a probate court in every county, and Franklin County estate filings go to Franklin County's own Probate Court, not to another county office. Administration may be granted only for the estate of a person who lived in Franklin County at death, or for a nonresident of Georgia who owned property in Franklin County or had a cause of action here (O.C.G.A. § 15-9-31). A petition for an order that no administration is necessary is filed where the decedent was domiciled in Georgia, or where the 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 Franklin 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 jury right preserved (O.C.G.A. § 5-3-5(d)).
The jurisdiction process
- Locate the original will, if there is one, and file it with the Franklin County Probate Court with reasonable promptness (O.C.G.A. § 53-5-5). The original will and any codicil must be delivered on paper to 7085 Highway 145, Suite A, Carnesville.
- Choose the correct statewide GPCSF petition. With a will, Georgia allows probate in common form or solemn form (O.C.G.A. § 53-5-15). Common form is not conclusive for four years from the order admitting the will (O.C.G.A. § 53-5-19). With no will, use the letters of administration path under O.C.G.A. § 53-6-20.
- File the paper petition at the counter or by mail. No electronic filing process is published for Franklin County estate filings.
- Pay the filing fee when the petition is filed. The statutory base fee for a decedent's-estate petition is $175.00, effective January 1, 2025, under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-60, plus statutory add-ons, service, and publication. The $15.00 indigent defense fee applies to listed decedent's-estate petitions under O.C.G.A. § 15-21A-6. Confirm the current total with the court before filing.
- Handle citation, service, acknowledgments, or publication as directed by the court. Franklin County published probate notices run in the Franklin County Citizen Leader.
- Take the oath before the probate judge or a clerk. The oath cannot be taken before a notary, and an out-of-state petitioner can use GPCSF 53 to have the oath administered by a court where the petitioner lives (O.C.G.A. § 53-6-24).
- Address bond. An administrator of an intestate estate must give bond unless the heirs unanimously consent to waive it (O.C.G.A. § 53-6-50).
- After the court grants the petition, obtain letters testamentary or letters of administration. Certified copies of letters cost $10.00 under the statutory schedule effective January 1, 2025 (O.C.G.A. § 15-9-60).
- Publish the creditor notice within 60 days after qualification, once a week for four weeks, in the Franklin County Citizen Leader. Creditors have three months from the last publication under O.C.G.A. § 53-7-41.
- Administer the estate: collect assets, pay valid claims, and file and mail the inventory within six months unless the duty is waived (O.C.G.A. § 53-7-30; O.C.G.A. § 53-7-32).
- Distribute the remaining property and close the estate settlement by filing any required fiduciary compliance report and, when ready, a petition for discharge on GPCSF 33.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Franklin County
Franklin County Probate Court uses Georgia's statewide probate forms, the GPCSF series, adopted under Uniform Probate Court Rule 5.9. A standard form prepared under that rule is acceptable in any Georgia probate court, and the court may decline a substitute document that does not conform to the standard form and certificate requirements.
| Form | Use in Franklin County |
|---|---|
| GPCSF 1 | General Instructions, including the oath rule for personal representatives. |
| GPCSF 3 | Petition for Letters of Administration when there is no will. |
| GPCSF 4 | Petition to Probate Will in Common Form, one Georgia probate path under O.C.G.A. § 53-5-15. |
| GPCSF 5 | Petition to Probate Will in Solemn Form, the noticed will-probate path under O.C.G.A. § 53-5-15. |
| GPCSF 9 | Petition for Order Declaring No Administration Necessary, tied to O.C.G.A. § 53-2-40. |
| GPCSF 10 | Petition for Year's Support, tied to O.C.G.A. § 53-3-1 and O.C.G.A. § 53-3-5. |
| GPCSF 13 | Petition for Leave to Sell Property. |
| GPCSF 32 | Petition 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. |
Franklin County does not publish its own probate forms, cover sheet, checklist, or local packet. Download the statewide forms from the Council of Probate Court Judges, then file the completed packet on paper with the Franklin County Probate Court.
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Franklin County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Jointly held or beneficiary-designated property may pass outside the estate. If the home or accounts are in the decedent's sole name, file in Carnesville. Year's support can set aside property, including a home, for a spouse or minor children and must be filed within 24 months of death (O.C.G.A. § 53-3-1; O.C.G.A. § 53-3-5). Publication runs in the Franklin County Citizen Leader. | Sunset helps identify which assets are jointly owned, which have beneficiaries, and which may need Franklin County probate before the spouse files. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | No electronic filing process is published, so paper forms and any original will go to the Franklin County Probate Court by mail or in person. The oath cannot be notarized; use GPCSF 53 if the oath must be administered by a court where the petitioner lives. If the estate is only a bank deposit, ask the financial institution about the direct-payment route under O.C.G.A. § 7-1-239 before opening a court case. | Sunset helps organize account information, heirs, debts, and forms so the petitioner can reduce trips to Carnesville. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale usually requires authority through powers granted under O.C.G.A. § 53-7-1(b) with GPCSF 32, or a petition for leave to sell on GPCSF 13. If there is no will, the heirs agree, and debts are resolved, an order that no administration is necessary can vest title under O.C.G.A. § 53-2-40. A certified order affecting Franklin County land is recorded in the Franklin County Clerk of Superior Court's deed records. | Sunset helps collect property, mortgage, heir, and debt information before the family chooses between administration, a sale petition, or the no-administration path. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Franklin County Probate Court | Filing office for Franklin County estates. Address: 7085 Highway 145, Suite A, Carnesville, GA 30521. Phone: 706-384-2403. Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Georgia Probate Court Standard Forms | Current GPCSF form PDFs used for Franklin County probate filings. |
| Council of Probate Court Judges of Georgia | Statewide probate court information, Uniform Probate Court Rules, forms, and court directory. |
| Georgia probate records portal used by participating courts | Franklin County participates in this estate search. Call the court if the estate does not appear. |
| Georgia Legal Services Program | Free civil legal help for qualifying people in Georgia counties outside metro Atlanta, including Franklin County. Statewide intake line: 1-833-457-7529. |
| GeorgiaLegalAid.org | Plain-language statewide legal information about wills, estates, and related court topics. |
| Georgia Courts self-help resources | Judicial Council orientation for people navigating Georgia courts without a lawyer. |
When to hire an attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help families identify accounts, insurance, investments, and other assets before a Franklin County estate settlement begins.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset helps organize the information needed for the Georgia Probate Court Standard Forms, including heirs, beneficiaries, asset lists, and the Franklin County filing address.
Find a local probate attorney. When a sale of land, heir dispute, caveat, or petition for review makes the matter more complex, Sunset can help connect the family with a Georgia probate attorney handling Franklin County matters.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to understand the estate settlement path, gather documents, and decide whether to file on their own or work with counsel.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Franklin County, Georgia?
File with the Franklin County Probate Court at 7085 Highway 145, Suite A, Carnesville, GA 30521. 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 online in Franklin County?
No electronic filing process is published by the Franklin County Probate Court. Plan to file paper forms in person or by mail. The original will and any codicil must be delivered on paper under Uniform Probate Court Rule 5.3.12(B).
How much does a Franklin County probate filing cost?
The statewide statutory base fee for a decedent's-estate petition is $175.00, effective January 1, 2025, under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-60. Add-ons, service, and publication are separate, including the $15.00 indigent defense fee for listed decedent's-estate petitions under O.C.G.A. § 15-21A-6. Call 706-384-2403 to confirm the amount due before filing.
Does Franklin County have its own probate forms?
No. Franklin County uses the statewide Georgia Probate Court Standard Forms, the GPCSF series, under Uniform Probate Court Rule 5.9. The county does not publish a separate probate cover sheet, checklist, or estate packet.
How do I look up a Franklin County estate case?
Use georgiaprobaterecords.com, a records portal used by participating Georgia probate courts. Franklin County appears in the estate search. If the case is not listed, call the Probate Court at 706-384-2403.
What are the Franklin County Probate Court hours?
The court is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Do I have to travel to Carnesville if I live out of state?
Many papers can be mailed, but the personal representative's oath cannot be notarized. It must be administered by a probate judge or clerk, and an out-of-state petitioner can use GPCSF 53, Commission to Administer Oath.
Where does the notice to creditors run in Franklin County?
The notice runs in the Franklin County Citizen Leader. A personal representative must publish within 60 days after qualification, once a week for four weeks, and creditors have three months from the last publication under O.C.G.A. § 53-7-41.
What if I disagree with a Franklin County Probate Court decision?
A party seeking review 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 jury right preserved (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.