Probate courts, formerly called courts of ordinary, have original jurisdiction in the probation of wills, administration of estates, appointment of guardians, and involuntary hospitalization of mentally incapacitated adults. They administer oaths of office and issue marriage licenses. They also supervise the printing of election ballots and the counting of votes, and in some counties they have jurisdiction over traffic and compulsory school attendance laws. They may hold habeas corpus hearings or preside over criminal preliminary hearings. In counties with a population greater than 96,000, a party to a civil case may request a jury trial in the probate court. Probate judges may handle certain misdemeanor cases, traffic cases, and violations of state game and fish laws in counties where there is no state court.
– “Judicial Branch: Overview,”
Gwen Y. Wood
Which areas do Georgia’s probate courts oversee? Check all that apply.
estate inheritance
the appointment of judges
the appointment of guardians
the hospitalization of mentally ill adults
wedding ceremonies and divorce decrees