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Pulaski County, GA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Pulaski County details |
|---|---|
| Court | The Pulaski County Probate Court |
| Courthouse address | 141 Commerce Street, Hawkinsville, GA 31036. Call (478) 783-2061 to confirm the exact office or suite before traveling. |
| Mailing address | No separate mailing address is published. Mail reaches the court at the courthouse address. |
| Phone | (478) 783-2061 |
| Fax | (478) 783-9219 |
| Hours | Call before traveling. Available court listings show Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Filing fee | Georgia sets probate fees by statute. For a decedent's-estate petition, the base filing fee is $175.00, effective January 1, 2025, under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-60, plus statutory add-ons, including the $15.00 indigent defense fee effective January 1, 2025, under O.C.G.A. § 15-21A-6, and separate service and publication costs. Confirm the current total with the court before filing. |
| Local forms | No Pulaski County-specific probate forms, cover sheet, checklist or packet were found. Use the statewide Georgia Probate Court Standard Forms, the GPCSF series. |
| E-filing | No electronic filing is confirmed for Pulaski County probate. Plan to file on paper in person or by mail, and ask the court whether any electronic filing is accepted. The original will and any codicil are always paper under Uniform Probate Court Rule 5.3.12(B). |
| Case search | Pulaski County appears in georgiaprobaterecords.com, a records portal used by participating Georgia probate courts. If the estate is not listed, call the Probate Court. |
| Remote appearance | No remote appearance policy is published. Ask the court at (478) 783-2061 before assuming a hearing can be handled without traveling. |
| Website | https://hawkinsville-pulaski.org/probate-court/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before filing in Pulaski County, identify the assets, debts, beneficiaries and likely heirs. The right path depends on whether there is an original will, whether real estate must be transferred or sold, whether all heirs agree, and whether publication or creditor issues will be needed.
Sunset's estate settlement process helps families inventory accounts and assets across more than 2,300 financial institutions before they choose forms or pay filing costs. That preparation is especially useful in Pulaski County because you should call the Probate Court before filing to confirm hours, the exact office and the current total due.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Pulaski County Probate Court in Hawkinsville is the probate filing office for Pulaski County, including Hawkinsville and the rest of the county. Georgia has a probate court in every county, and Pulaski County estate filings go to this county's Probate Court, not to a district office or a different courthouse.
Administration may be granted only for the estate of a person who lived in Pulaski County at death, or for a nonresident of Georgia who owned property in Pulaski County or had a cause of action here (O.C.G.A. § 15-9-31). If the family seeks an order that no administration is necessary, venue is the decedent's Georgia county of domicile, or the county where the Georgia real property is located for a nonresident decedent (O.C.G.A. § 53-2-40).
A party seeking review of a Pulaski 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
- Confirm venue and the filing office. File at the Pulaski County Probate Court in Hawkinsville if the decedent lived in Pulaski County at death, or if a nonresident of Georgia owned property or had a cause of action in Pulaski County (O.C.G.A. § 15-9-31). Call (478) 783-2061 before traveling to confirm the exact office, hours and current amount due.
- Deliver the original will if there is one. Whoever has the will must file it with reasonable promptness with the Probate Court (O.C.G.A. § 53-5-5). There is no numeric Georgia deadline for filing a will, and the original will cannot be filed electronically under Uniform Probate Court Rule 5.3.12(B).
- Choose the statewide GPCSF petition. With a will, choose common form or solemn form probate under O.C.G.A. § 53-5. Solemn form binds heirs who are served, and personal service must be made at least 30 days before probate unless waived (O.C.G.A. § 53-5-22). Common form does not become conclusive for four years from the order admitting the will (O.C.G.A. § 53-5-19). With no will, use the petition for letters of administration and the administrator-priority rules in O.C.G.A. § 53-6-20.
- File on paper and pay the filing cost. No e-filing is confirmed for Pulaski County probate, so plan to file on paper in person or by mail. 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, including the $15.00 indigent defense fee effective January 1, 2025, under O.C.G.A. § 15-21A-6, and separate service and publication costs. Fees are paid at filing under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-60(d) and Uniform Probate Court Rule 5.3.14.
- Handle citation, service and publication. The court issues the citation, and the petitioner handles service, acknowledgments or publication as the petition requires. Pulaski County statutory notices publish in the Hawkinsville Dispatch & News.
- Take the oath and address bond. The personal representative's oath must be administered by a probate judge or clerk, not a notary (O.C.G.A. § 53-6-24). An out-of-state petitioner can use GPCSF 53 to take the oath before a court of record. 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 and begin administration. After qualification, the court issues letters testamentary or letters of administration. A certified copy of letters costs $10.00, effective January 1, 2025, under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-60.
- Publish creditor notice. The personal representative must publish notice to creditors within 60 days of qualification, once a week for four weeks, in the official newspaper of the county where the representative qualified. In Pulaski County that is the Hawkinsville Dispatch & News. Creditors who do not notify the personal representative within three months after the last publication lose equal participation as provided in O.C.G.A. § 53-7-41.
- Inventory, administer and close. File the inventory with the Pulaski County Probate Court and mail it to heirs or beneficiaries within six months of qualification unless it is waived (O.C.G.A. § 53-7-30, O.C.G.A. § 53-7-32). Pay claims, distribute property, file any required fiduciary compliance report, then petition for discharge using GPCSF 33.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Pulaski County
Pulaski County uses Georgia's statewide probate form set, the Georgia Probate Court Standard Forms, commonly called the GPCSF series. 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 requirements in Uniform Probate Court Rule 5.9.
| Form | Use |
|---|---|
| GPCSF 1 | General Instructions, including the oath rule for a personal representative |
| 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, useful when the petitioner is outside Georgia |
No Pulaski County-specific probate forms, cover sheet, checklist or packet are published. Get the current statewide forms from the Council of Probate Court Judges of Georgia before filing.
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Pulaski County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | If the home was held with survivorship rights, it may pass outside probate. If the house or accounts were in the decedent's sole name, file on paper with the Pulaski County Probate Court. Year's support under O.C.G.A. § 53-3 can set aside property, including a family home, and must be filed within 24 months of death under O.C.G.A. § 53-3-5. Ordinary administration may fit better if debts or heir disagreement are present. | Sunset helps identify whether the home, accounts and insurance pass outside probate, organizes the information for the GPCSF forms, and helps the spouse decide whether attorney review is needed. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | No Pulaski County e-filing is confirmed, so plan for paper filing by mail or in person. The oath cannot be notarized, so use GPCSF 53 if you need to swear before a court where you live. If the estate is only a modest bank deposit, ask the financial institution first. Georgia allows payment of a deposit of not more than $15,000.00, current after the 2019 amendment, for an intestate decedent without a court filing under O.C.G.A. § 7-1-239. | Sunset helps the child locate accounts before filing, avoid unnecessary travel where documents can be mailed, and prepare questions for the court about hours, payment and oath logistics. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Selling a Pulaski County house usually requires authority from the Probate Court. The personal representative may seek expanded powers under O.C.G.A. § 53-7-1(b) using GPCSF 32, or seek leave to sell using GPCSF 13. If there is no will, all heirs agree, and debts are absent or creditors consent, an order that no administration is necessary can vest title with no dollar limit under O.C.G.A. § 53-2-40, followed by deed-recording steps through the Clerk of Superior Court. | Sunset helps map heirs, debts and real-property details, flags when sale authority or an attorney is likely needed, and connects the parent with a Pulaski County probate attorney if the title path is not simple. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Pulaski County Probate Court https://hawkinsville-pulaski.org/probate-court/ | The filing office for Pulaski County estates. Call (478) 783-2061 to confirm hours, current costs and the exact office location before filing. |
| Council of Probate Court Judges of Georgia standard forms https://gaprobate.gov/standard-forms/ | Current statewide GPCSF probate forms used in all Georgia probate courts. |
| Supreme Court of Georgia standard forms index https://www.gasupreme.us/probate-court-standard-forms/ | The Supreme Court's index for Georgia Probate Court Standard Forms and General Instructions. |
| Council of Probate Court Judges of Georgia https://gaprobate.gov/ | Statewide probate-court information, including Uniform Probate Court Rules and the probate courts directory. |
| Georgia probate records portal used by participating probate courts https://www.georgiaprobaterecords.com/Estates/SearchEstates.aspx | Pulaski County is listed for estate-case lookup in this participating-court portal. If the case is not there, call the Probate Court. |
| Georgia Legal Services Program https://www.glsp.org/need-help/ | Free civil legal help for people who qualify in Georgia counties outside the Atlanta Legal Aid Society service area, including Pulaski County. Apply online or call statewide intake at 1-833-457-7529. |
| GeorgiaLegalAid.org https://www.georgialegalaid.org/ | Plain-language Georgia legal information about wills, estates and steps after a death. |
| Georgia Courts self-help resources https://georgiacourts.gov/a2j/self-help-resources/navigating-the-courts/ | Judicial Council and Administrative Office of the Courts 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 institutions to help identify accounts, insurance, benefits and other assets that shape the estate settlement plan.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset helps organize the information needed for the statewide Georgia probate forms and turns the family's facts into a cleaner filing package for the Pulaski County Probate Court.
Find a local probate attorney. When land, heir disagreement, creditor issues or a petition for review makes the estate settlement more complex, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Georgia probate attorney who handles Pulaski County matters.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset's estate settlement tools without paying Sunset. If an attorney is needed, the attorney explains the scope and fees directly.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file for probate in Pulaski County?
File with the Pulaski County Probate Court in Hawkinsville. Georgia venue allows administration for a person who lived in Pulaski County at death, or for a nonresident of Georgia who owned property in Pulaski County or had a cause of action here (O.C.G.A. § 15-9-31).
Can I file online in Pulaski County Probate Court?
No electronic filing is confirmed for Pulaski County probate. Plan to file on paper at the court or by mail, and ask the court directly whether it accepts any electronic filing. In every Georgia probate court, the original will and any codicil must be delivered on paper under Uniform Probate Court Rule 5.3.12(B).
What does it cost to open an estate in Pulaski County?
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, including the $15.00 indigent defense fee effective January 1, 2025, under O.C.G.A. § 15-21A-6, and separate service and publication costs. Confirm the current total with the Probate Court at (478) 783-2061 before filing.
Does the Pulaski County Probate Court have its own probate forms?
No Pulaski County-specific probate forms were found. Use the statewide GPCSF forms from the Council of Probate Court Judges of Georgia, which are accepted in Georgia probate courts under Uniform Probate Court Rule 5.9.
How do I look up a Pulaski County estate case?
Use georgiaprobaterecords.com, a case-records portal used by participating Georgia probate courts. Pulaski County is listed in its estate search. If the case is not there, call the Pulaski County Probate Court.
Where does the notice to creditors publish in Pulaski County?
The legal organ for Pulaski County is the Hawkinsville Dispatch & News. A Georgia personal representative must publish the notice to creditors 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 under O.C.G.A. § 53-7-41.
What if I disagree with a Pulaski 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 jury right preserved under O.C.G.A. § 5-3-5(d).
Do I have to travel to Hawkinsville if I live out of state?
Not always. You may be able to mail paper filings, but the oath for a personal representative cannot be notarized. If you are outside Georgia, GPCSF 53 can be used to take the oath before a court of record where you live.
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.