Georgia Probate Court Petition for Discharge

PETITION FOR DISCHARGE OF PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE

INSTRUCTIONS

I. Specific Instructions

1. This form is to be used for a Petition for Discharge of a Personal Representative pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 53-7-50 or Discharge of a Temporary Administrator pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 53-7-52. A Personal Representative may, pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 53-7-50(e), petition the court solely for discharge from office but not from all liability.

2. If the Petition is filed by a Personal Representative, the notice to debtors and creditors must have been published for four weeks, and three months must have elapsed from the date of the last publication. O.C.G.A. §§ 53-7-41, 53-11-4.

3. Signatures of heirs who acknowledge service must be sworn to before a notary public or the Clerk of any Probate Court of this State. It is not necessary that all acknowledgments appear on the same page. An attorney at law may acknowledge service on behalf of an heir; however, the attorney must certify that he or she currently represents that heir with regard to the pending matter and, in order to comply with O.C.G.A. § 53-11-6, the attorney's signature must be sworn to as provided above. With regard to a power of attorney, the attorney-in-fact may acknowledge service on behalf of the grantor of the power, provided that the power of attorney grants such authority, the signature of the attorney-in-fact is attested, a copy of the power of attorney is attached, and the attorney-in-fact certifies that the copy is a true copy and is still in effect.

4. O.C.G.A. § 53-11-2 provides that a party to a probate proceeding who is not sui juris must be represented by a guardian provided that the Court may appoint a guardian ad litem or determine that the natural guardian, guardian, conservator, or testamentary guardian has no conflict and may serve. Should a guardian ad litem be necessary because a party is not sui juris, use Supplement 1.

5. Use Supplement 2 if the Court determines it is appropriate to appoint a special process server.

6. Use Supplement 3 when an additional certificate of service is necessary.

7. In the event the Decedent died intestate, Paragraph 3 requires that a definitive statement be made to show to the court that the persons named in Paragraph 2 constitute all of the heirs of the Decedent and that there are no heirs of the same or closer degree according to O.C.G.A. § 53-2-1. Provide the date of death for any deceased heirs.

8. According to Probate Court Rule 5.6 (A), unless the Court specifically assumes the responsibility, it is the responsibility of the moving party to prepare the proper citation and deliver it properly so it can be served according to law. All pages after the Notice regarding Uniform Probate Court Rule 5.6 (A) are to be completed by the moving party, unless otherwise directed by the Court.

II. General Instructions

General instructions applicable to all Georgia Probate Court Standard Forms are available in each Probate Court or at www.gaprobate.gov, labeled GPCSF 1.

IN THE PROBATE COURT OF COUNTY

STATE OF GEORGIA

IN RE: ESTATE OF )

)

, ) ESTATE NO.

DECEASED )

PETITION FOR DISCHARGE OF PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE

The Petition of , as of the above-referenced estate, shows:

1. Petitioner(s) [initial one]:

(a) has/have fully administered the estate of the Decedent.

(b) was/were allowed to resign without fully administering said estate.

(c) has/have completely discharged all duties as temporary administrator(s).

2. Listed below are all of the heirs of an intestate Decedent or beneficiaries of a testate Decedent, or persons who succeeded to the interest of any heir or beneficiary who died after the Decedent died:

Name / Age / Address / Relationship

[NOTE: If discharge is sought solely from office and not from office and all liability, STRIKE Paragraphs 3 and 4 below.]

3. Required: [In the event the Decedent died intestate (without a will), make a definitive statement with sufficient factual information to enable the court to conclude that all of the heirs of the Decedent are included and that there are no heirs of similar or closer degree according to O.C.G.A. § 53-2-1. Provide the names of any deceased heirs and include the date of death for each. Also, state here all pertinent facts that may govern the method of giving notice to any party and that may determine whether or not a guardian ad litem should be appointed for any party. If any heirs listed above are cousins, grandchildren, nephews or nieces of the Decedent, please indicate the deceased ancestor through whom they are related to the Decedent.]

4. Of those named in Paragraph 2 above, it is not necessary to notify the following heirs or beneficiaries (a) who have relieved the Personal Representative of all liability and as to each of whom a copy of the writing(s) granting such relief is/are attached hereto or (b) with respect to whom the Personal Representative has been relieved of all further liability in (a settlement of accounts)(an intermediate report)(other binding proceeding) pursuant to an order of this Court dated and hereby incorporated herein:

5. The following heirs or beneficiaries are represented or should be represented by a guardian [state names of heir/beneficiary and guardian, if one has already been appointed, and reason guardian needed/appointed]:

6. All claims against the estate have been paid (except for the following that have not been paid for the reasons set forth below) [provide names and addresses for service]:

7.

All necessary (inventories) (and) (returns) have been filed.

Petitioner was relieved of filing (inventories) (and) (returns).

8. Additional Data: [Where full particulars are lacking, state here the reasons for any such omission.]

WHEREFORE, Petitioner(s) pray(s):

(a) to be discharged solely from office and, therefore, pray(s) that notice issue and be published one time in the official county newspaper with copies thereof being mailed by first-class mail to the creditors named in Paragraph 5 above and that an order issue discharging the Petitioner(s) from office.

(b) to be discharged from office and all liability and, therefore, pray(s) that notice issue and be served and published as required by law and that an order issue releasing and discharging the Petitioner(s) from office and from all liability.

VERIFICATION

GEORGIA, COUNTY

Personally appeared before me the undersigned Petitioner(s) who after being duly sworn, state(s) that the facts set forth in the foregoing Petition for Discharge of Personal Representative (and the attached Exhibit(s)) are true and correct.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF SERVICE AND CONSENT TO PETITION

The undersigned, being 18 years of age or older, laboring under no legal disability and being heirs or beneficiaries or unpaid purported creditors of the above-named Decedent, hereby acknowledge service of a copy of the Petition for Discharge of Personal Representative, and notice, waive copies of same, waive further service and notice, and hereby consent to the Petition.

NOTICE

THE FOLLOWING PAGES ARE TO BE COMPLETED BY THE PETITIONER (MOVING PARTY) UNLESS OTHERWISE DIRECTED BY THE COURT.

SEE PROBATE COURT RULE 5.6 (A).

ORDER FOR SERVICE OF NOTICE

[Initial A. (discharge solely from office) or B. (discharge from office and all liability)]

A. The Petition for Discharge of Personal Representative having been filed, seeking discharge solely from office, it is ordered that Notice be published one time in the newspaper in which sheriff’s advertisements are published in this County at least ten (10) days before and that a copy of the Petition and Notice be mailed by first-class mail to the creditors whose claims have not been paid as set forth in Paragraph 6 of the Petition.

B. The Petition for Discharge of Personal Representative having been filed, seeking discharge from office and all liability, it is ordered that all heirs or beneficiaries or unpaid creditors who did not acknowledge service and consent to the Petition be served as follows:

[Initial all that apply]

Notice, together with a copy of the Petition, shall be served personally, or by registered or certified mail or statutory overnight delivery, as requested by the Petitioner(s) pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 53-11-3, at least ten (10) days before the deadline for filing objections on the following interested parties who reside in Georgia:

Notice, together with a copy of the Petition, shall be served by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 53-11-4, upon the following nonresident interested parties whose current residence addresses are known:

Notice shall be published once a week for four (4) weeks in the legal organ of this County, before in order to serve by publication the following interested parties whose current residence addresses are unknown:

[Applies in all cases unless notice is published for four weeks] Notice shall be published one time in the legal organ of this County at least ten (10) days before which is the date on or before which any objection is required to be filed.

SO ORDERED this .

Judge of the Probate Court

NOTICE

[For Discharge Solely from Office]

IN RE: Petition for Discharge of Personal Representative

TO:

and to whom it may concern:

This is to notify you to file objection, if there is any, to the Petition for Discharge of Personal Representative, in this Court on or before .

BE NOTIFIED FURTHER: All objections to the Petition must be in writing, setting forth the grounds of any such objections. All objections should be sworn to before a notary public or before a Probate Court Clerk, and filing fees must be tendered with your objections, unless you qualify to file as an indigent party. Contact Probate Court personnel for the required amount of filing fees. If any objections are filed, a hearing will be . If no objections are filed, the Petition may be granted without a hearing.

NOTICE

[For Discharge from Office and all Liability]

IN RE: Petition for Discharge of Personal Representative

[Strike any Paragraph if not applicable]

TO:

and (all and singular the heirs of said Decedent,)(the beneficiaries under the will,) and to whom it may concern:

This is to notify you to file objection, if there is any, to the above-referenced Petition, in this Court on or before .

TO:

This is to notify you to file objection, if there is any, to the above-referenced Petition, in this Court on or before the thirteenth (13th) day after (the date of the mailing of this Notice to you by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested); provided, however, that if a return receipt for such Notice is actually received by the Court within such thirteen (13) days, the deadline for the filing of any objection shall be ten (10) days from the date of receipt shown on such return receipt.

TO:

This is to notify you to file objection, if there is any, to the above-referenced Petition, in this Court on or before the thirtieth (30th) day after (the date of the mailing of this Notice to you by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested); provided, however, that if a return receipt for such Notice is actually received by the Court within such thirty (30) days, the deadline for the filing of any objection shall be ten (10) days from the date of receipt shown on such return receipt.

TO:

This is to notify you who are required to be served personally, to file objection, if there is any, to the above-referenced Petition, in this Court on or before the tenth (10th) day after the date you are personally served or sign the return receipt.

BE NOTIFIED FURTHER: All objections to the Petition must be in writing, setting forth the grounds of any such objections. All objections should be sworn to before a notary public or before a Probate Court Clerk, and filing fees must be tendered with your objections, unless you qualify to file as an indigent party. Contact Probate Court personnel for the required amount of filing fees. If any objections are filed, a hearing will be . If no objections are filed, the Petition may be granted without a hearing.

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

This is to certify that I have this date mailed (unless otherwise noted) in an envelope with the proper postage affixed thereto for first-class mail delivery copies of the to the following parties at the addresses below:

This .

Clerk of the Probate Court

Address

Telephone Number

FINAL ORDER

The foregoing Petition for Discharge of as was filed. The Court finds that no objection has been filed, and all requirements of law have been fulfilled.

ACCORDINGLY, IT IS ORDERED that petitioner(s) be, and is/are hereby, discharged

a. solely from office

b. from office and all liability.

SO ORDERED this .

Judge of the Probate Court