2023 CODE OF GEORGIA › Title 44 - PROPERTY (§§ 44-1-1 — 44-17-7) › Chapter 2 - RECORDATION AND REGISTRATION OF DEEDS AND OTHER INSTRUMENTS (§§ 44-2-1 — 44-2-253) › Article 2 - LAND REGISTRATION (§§ 44-2-40 — 44-2-253) › Part 4 - REGISTERS AND REGISTRATION (§§ 44-2-120 — 44-2-144) › Section 44-2-131 - Declaration of title by descent upon petition; service of petition and publication of notice; transfer of registered title and issuance of new certificates; rights of surviving spouse

(a)
Where the owner of registered land dies intestate and there is no administration upon the estate within 12 months from the date of his death or in the event administration shall terminate without the land being disposed of, the heirs at law of the intestate or any one or more of the persons who claim to be heirs at law of the intestate may petition the superior court of the county to have their title by descent declared as to the registered land.
(b)
The petition:
(1)
Shall set forth the names of all persons who are alleged to be the heirs at law and, if all are not joined, process or notice shall be served upon all those not joined;
(2)
Shall be verified by the affidavit of one of the petitioners;
(3)
Shall set forth in detail the name and last known address of the decedent;
(4)
Shall include a statement whether he was married, single, or a widower and, if married more than once, the names of all of his wives;
(5)
Shall include the names of all children and descendants of children, if any, showing in detail whether the parents of such children are living or dead;
(6)
Shall show in detail how and whether the persons who are alleged to be the heirs at law are in fact the heirs at law of such decedent under the rules of inheritance;
(7)
Shall give the date of the death of the decedent;
(8)
Shall set forth that the decedent died leaving no will; and
(9)
Shall state that in the judgment of the applicant there is no need for administration upon the estate.
(c)
Upon the petition being filed, the judge shall grant an order setting the petition down to be heard at the courthouse in the county where the land is located, on some day not less than 30 days from the date of the petition, and calling on all persons to show cause before the court on that day why the persons named as heirs at law in the petition should not be so declared to be by the judgment and decree of the court. A copy of the petition and the order of the court thereon shall be published in the newspaper in which the sheriff's sales of the county are advertised in like manner as sheriff's sales are advertised.
(d)
On the day named for the hearing, unless the matter is continued by order or orders of the judge to some future time, the court shall proceed to hear and determine the question together with any objections which may be filed and to adjudge and decree that the alleged decedent is dead, that there is no administration on his estate, that he left no will, and who are his heirs at law; provided, however, that if it appears that either the alleged decedent is not dead, or that there is administration upon the estate, or that an application for administration is pending, or that the decedent left a will, the petition shall be dismissed.
(e)
Upon granting an order of heirship, the court shall order a transfer of the registered title from the decedent to the heirs at law; and, upon production of the owner's certificate of the decedent and the judge's order for a transfer, the clerk shall register the transfer, cancel the certificate registered in the name of the decedent, cancel the owner's certificate, and issue a new owner's certificate in the name of the persons declared to be the heirs at law.
(f)
In the petition if the alleged heirs at law are of full age and under no disabilities and the same so appears to the court and if it further appears that they have voluntarily partitioned the land in kind among themselves, the court may, in connection with the order of transfer, direct that the certificate standing in the name of the decedent be canceled and that new certificates be registered and issued to each of the heirs for the particular parcel of land coming to each under the voluntary partition set forth in the petition.
(g)
If the decedent has left a widow, she shall be a party to the proceedings. The court shall specifically provide what interest or estate she shall take under the decree of heirship; and, except where in the decree the land is partitioned into separate tracts, the court shall, in the decree of heirship and in the order of transfer, specifically set forth, except where the widow is the sole heir, what undivided interest each heir shall take.
(h)
If the decedent is a female, the procedure shall be similar except insofar as the difference between the rights of the husband and wife upon the death of the spouse shall make changes necessary.
(i)
Where the wife claims to be entitled to take possession of the estate without administration under former Code Section
53-4-2
as such existed on December 31, 1997, if applicable, or Code Sections
53-1-7
and
53-2-1
, the procedure shall be substantially in the same manner.
Amended by 2019 Ga. Laws 321,§ 44, eff. 5/12/2019.
Amended by 2011 Ga. Laws 245,§ 44, eff. 5/13/2011.