2023 CODE OF GEORGIA › Title 15 - COURTS (§§ 15-1-1 — 15-25-3) › Chapter 9 - PROBATE COURTS (§§ 15-9-1 — 15-9-158) › Article 4 - TIME, PLACE, AND PROCEDURE (§§ 15-9-80 — 15-9-90) › Section 15-9-86.1 - Citations and responsive pleadings in certain types of proceedings

(a)
In any of the proceedings specified in this Code section with respect to which no citation is required to be published, notice of an application to the judge of the probate court for the granting of an order may, instead of stating the time of the hearing as provided in Code Section
15-9-86
and other specific laws, state that the party served must file with the court his or her response to the petition within ten days after personal service of the notice upon him or her, or 13 days after mailing if served by mail, and that if no responses are filed the petition will be granted without a hearing.
(b)
If the specific laws governing a particular proceeding subject to this Code section require that a citation be published, such citation may, instead of stating the time of hearing, state that any party who is not ordered to be served personally or by mail must file with the court his or her response to the petition on or prior to a date certain, which shall be a date for which a hearing could be set according to the laws governing the particular proceeding.
(c)
The citation or the caption of the citation shall identify all parties upon whom service has been ordered whose names are known. Failure of a party served as provided in subsection (a) or (b) of this Code section to file with the court his or her response to a petition within the time required for his or her response shall constitute a waiver of the right of such party to object to the petition and a waiver of any right of such party to receive notice of any further proceedings with respect to such petition.
(d)
If no party serves a response to the petition, the judge of the probate court may grant the petition without a hearing. If a response is filed, the judge of the probate court shall set the matter for hearing and shall by regular first-class mail send a notice of the time of hearing to the petitioner and all parties who have served responses at the addresses given by them in their pleadings.
(e)
The proceedings to which this Code section shall apply are:
(1)
Proceedings for sale, lease, exchange, or encumbrance of a ward's property, as provided in Code Section
29-3-35
or
29-5-35
;
(2)
Proceedings for citation of a conservator for failure to make returns, as provided in Code Section
29-3-60
or
29-5-60
;
(3)
Proceedings involving the revocation or suspension of letters or the imposition of sanctions on a guardian or conservator, as provided in Code Section
29-2-42
,
29-3-82
,
29-4-52
, or
29-5-92
;
(4)
Proceedings for discharge of a surety on a conservator's bond, as provided in Code Section
29-3-49
or
29-5-49
;
(5)
Proceedings for resignation of trust by a guardian or conservator, as provided in Code Section
29-2-40
,
29-3-80
,
29-4-50
, or
29-5-90
;
(6)
Proceedings for settlement of accounts of a conservator, as provided in Code Section
29-3-71
or
29-5-81
;
(7)
Proceedings for appointment of a guardian or conservator of a minor, as provided in Code Sections
29-2-14
through
29-2-18
or Code Sections
29-3-6
through
29-3-10
;
(8)
Proceedings for requiring a conservator to give additional bond, as provided in Code Section
29-3-43
or
29-5-42
;
(9)
Proceedings for appointment of a guardian for a beneficiary of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, as provided in Code Section
29-7-7
or
29-7-8
;
(10)
Proceedings for determination of heirs at law, as provided in former Code Sections
53-4-30
, et seq. as such existed on December 31, 1997; and
(11)
Proceedings for setting aside year's support, as provided in former Code Section
53-5-8
as such existed on December 31, 1997.
Amended by 2011 Ga. Laws 245,§ 15, eff. 5/13/2011.
Amended by 2004 Ga. Laws 460, § 2, eff. 7/1/2005