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Cobb County Probate Court: Records, Wills, Forms & Fees
Search Cobb County probate records, find estate and guardianship forms, check filing fees, request certified documents and prepare for a visit to the Probate Court in Marietta, Georgia.
Use the Cobb County government website for actual court filings, payments and record requests.
- Address
- 32 Waddell Street
Marietta, GA 30090 - Office hours
- Monday–Friday
8 a.m.–5 p.m. - Telephone
- 770-528-1900
- General email
- Court email
Independent publisher: ProbateCourtUSA.org is not affiliated with Cobb County, its Probate Court or the Georgia judiciary. This guide helps readers locate official information; it is not a government records service or legal advice.
Choose the right Cobb County Probate Court service
Cobb County Probate Court oversees the administration of deceased persons’ estates, the probate of wills, guardianships, conservatorships and certain licensing matters. It does not handle every type of case filed in Cobb County.
Choose the action you need before opening forms or making a payment. An online case search is different from filing a petition, and a downloaded document is not necessarily a certified court record.
Find available estate, case-status and record information through the official court portal.
How to search →Understand executor and administrator petitions, notices and later responsibilities.
Estate filing steps →Access statewide forms and Cobb-specific supplements.
Forms and checklists →Compare published petition costs, payment methods and additional service charges.
Current fees →Get the correct estate order, letters or other official document.
Copy instructions →Check separate marriage and weapons carry license processes, appointments and fees.
Licensing information →Before visiting: Cobb County announced lobby renovation work beginning March 16, 2026, while keeping the Probate Court open. Check the official court homepage for current construction, entrance, appointment and holiday updates.
How to search Cobb County Probate Court cases online
The court provides an official case-status and records-search route from its Probate Court homepage. Available probate estate and license records may be viewed through its records portal. You do not need an account simply to review the public docket and available documents, but access restrictions apply to some records.
- Open the official case-search resource.Go to the Cobb Probate Court homepage and select the link for E-File, Case Status and Records Search.
- Enter the best information available.Search by case number or name when supported by the portal. A case number is usually the most precise starting point.
- Confirm the correct person and matter.Check the decedent’s name, case category, filing details and other available identifiers. Similar names can lead to unrelated records.
- Review the docket and images.Identify the petition, appointment, order, inventory or other entry needed. Some images and personal details may be unavailable or redacted.
- Request official proof when needed.If a bank, government agency, another court or title company needs legal proof, request a certified or exemplified copy rather than relying on a downloaded image.
Searching older estate records
Cobb County’s official probate records resources include historical filing indexes. The existing court search guidance identifies an index covering 1825–2025, with additional 2026 quarterly indexes. These may help when looking for an older case or a record that does not appear in a normal name search.
An index identifies records; it may not contain every supporting document. If you need an archived will or appointment order, contact the court and give the decedent’s name, approximate filing year and any case number.
Why a record might not appear online
A case may be newly filed, indexed under another name, restricted by law, archived or associated with a different county. Certain guardianship or personal records are not fully public. A failed search cannot establish that no will exists or that an estate was never opened.
Do not confuse different Cobb County courts. Divorce decrees and land records belong to Superior Court records, and misdemeanor probation is handled through State Court resources. Probate Court is the starting point for qualifying estate, guardianship and probate licensing matters.
How to probate a will or open an estate in Cobb County
Probate is the court process used when qualifying property or legal responsibilities must be handled after a person dies. The correct petition depends on whether the decedent left a valid will, whether administration is necessary, the heirs and beneficiaries involved, and whether anyone disputes the estate.
Probate of a will
A will may be presented to the Probate Court for admission. Georgia distinguishes between processes such as common-form and solemn-form probate. Notice and service requirements can differ, so the form selected matters.
For a solemn-form petition, Cobb County’s published common-fee schedule lists a $200 filing cost, before any additional case-specific service charges.
Letters of Administration
When a person dies without an appointed executor who can act, or when estate circumstances otherwise require it, an administrator may need court appointment. Cobb County lists separate petition costs for letters with powers and letters without powers.
Letters of Administration and Letters Testamentary are court-issued evidence of the personal representative’s authority. Merely being named as executor in a will does not automatically give someone authority to administer the estate.
Is full administration always required?
No. Georgia provides different procedures depending on the estate’s circumstances, including certain petitions for no administration necessary. Eligibility should be evaluated against actual assets, debts, heirs and legal requirements rather than assuming a small estate will always qualify.
If estate assets include land, jointly owned property, beneficiary-designated accounts or assets in more than one state, determining the proper transfer method may require professional advice.
Before filing: gather this information
- Full legal name of the deceased, date of death and last residence.
- Original will, codicils or relevant testamentary documents, if available.
- Names and addresses of heirs, beneficiaries and the proposed personal representative.
- Known estate property, outstanding debts and potential creditor information.
- Any existing probate case number, court orders or previously appointed representative.
- Required signatures, verification, consent documents and notice or service information.
Step-by-step estate filing process
- Check for an existing case.Search the official case-status portal before preparing a new petition. This helps avoid duplicating an open proceeding.
- Select the appropriate Georgia standard form.Use the statewide probate forms and Cobb’s local filing instructions. Some petitions require additional local forms or supporting documents.
- Prepare all names and supporting materials.Complete the form accurately and attach required consents, notices, affidavits or other records as applicable.
- Confirm the current filing fee and service costs.Publication, certified mail, sheriff service and other charges may be separate from the base petition fee.
- Submit through an approved method.Use the court’s current estate filing or e-filing instructions. A general court contact email should not be assumed to accept legal filings.
- Track the court’s review.Monitor the docket and respond to corrections, additional notices, hearings or required oaths.
- Complete post-appointment duties.Depending on the case, the fiduciary may need an inventory, returns, reports, distribution documentation and a discharge petition.
Practical distinction: Finding the will, having the will admitted and receiving letters authorizing a representative to act are not necessarily the same event. Confirm exactly which court-issued document your bank or other institution needs.
Wills filed for information or safekeeping
Cobb also provides resources concerning wills deposited for safekeeping or submitted for information. These should not automatically be treated as a completed estate administration proceeding or proof that a will has been admitted to probate.
Ask the Probate Court about the correct status and procedure when a will has been located but an estate has not yet been opened.
Find the correct Georgia Probate Court forms
Georgia provides statewide standard probate forms through the Council of Probate Court Judges. Cobb County also maintains local documents, supplements and compliance forms. Both sources matter because the correct standard petition may require local supporting paperwork.
Georgia standard forms
Use the official statewide collection for common estate, guardianship and conservatorship petitions.
Cobb County local forms
Cobb publishes additional filings, case contact sheets, affidavits, petitions and records-compliance documents.
Common local form categories
- Estate documents: affidavits of disinterested persons, heirs determination worksheets, renunciation of executorship, amendments and successor-executor petitions.
- Financial compliance: estate inventory, return of personal representative and conservator returns, with separate instructions.
- Guardianship: background-check consent, education acknowledgment and guardianship-specific supplemental petitions.
- Financial hardship: Poverty Affidavit and the required Poverty Affidavit Supplement.
- Licensing: marriage-license applications, premarital education certifications and license-related consent forms.
July 2026 guardianship update: Cobb’s official forms page lists a Guardianship Petition July 2026 supplemental filing for certain minor guardianship matters. Check the current packet before reusing an older downloaded form.
Court staff may explain administrative procedures, but Georgia law restricts them from giving individual legal advice or recommending the legal action you should take. If the correct petition is unclear, consider the court’s available legal-help resources or a Georgia probate attorney.
Cobb County Probate Court filing fees in 2026
Cobb County’s official fee schedule identifies common petition and copy charges. Some proceedings require additional notice, publication, service, evaluator or professional costs. The following amounts are selected published fees, not a guarantee of the final total.
| Filing or service | Published charge | Important detail |
|---|---|---|
| Letters of Administration without powers | $200 | Check additional notice and service requirements. |
| Letters of Administration with powers | $320 | Includes a $120 four-week publication charge. |
| Probate Will in Solemn Form | $200 | Case-specific service costs may apply. |
| Objection or caveat | $75 | Additional proceedings may incur costs. |
| Declination to serve as personal representative | $15 | Use the proper court form. |
| Annual return | $40 | May apply to continuing fiduciary duties. |
| Inventory | $40 | Separate from initial petition costs. |
| Certified copy | $10 first page; $1 each additional page | Confirm the document and number of pages. |
| Marriage license without qualifying education | $56 | Confirm appointment and identification requirements. |
| Marriage license with qualifying education | $16 | Proof of qualifying premarital education required. |
| Certified marriage license copy | $10 | Use the marriage-license request process. |
What payment methods are accepted?
The court lists cash, money orders, personal checks and credit cards. Checks are made payable to Cobb County Probate Court. Credit-card transactions incur a service fee of $2 or 3.5%, whichever is higher; the official page specifies a $5 cap on card-processing fees for estate filings.
Can you file with a partial deposit?
Under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-60(d), the court describes a minimum $30 deposit option for pleadings. The deposit may allow submission, but the court will not process the pleading until the filing fee is paid in full.
What if you cannot afford the filing fee?
Cobb County provides an Affidavit of Indigency, also called a Poverty Affidavit, together with a required supplement. A judge determines whether the request should be approved. The court states that the document will not be considered filed until the request is granted or the appropriate filing fees have been paid.
Check before paying: Publication, sheriff service, certified mail, guardian ad litem, court-appointed professionals and later filings can increase costs. Use the official Cobb County Probate Court fee schedule for the applicable petition.
Request certified probate copies and estate letters
An online docket is often enough to locate a case, but another institution may need an authenticated copy of a specific court order or appointment. Before ordering, ask whether the recipient requires a regular copy, certified copy, exemplified copy or court-issued letters.
Documents frequently requested
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
- Order admitting a will to probate.
- Order appointing an executor, administrator, guardian or conservator.
- Certified will, petition or other available estate document.
- Inventory, annual return or final order when applicable.
- Find the estate case.Use the official docket to identify the case number and correct party.
- Specify the document.Request the exact order, letters or filing rather than an entire case when only one record is needed.
- Confirm certification.Ask whether the receiving agency requires certified or exemplified proof.
- Check the page count and price.The court lists certified copies at $10 for the first page and $1 for every additional page.
- Use the court’s records procedure.Contact the Probate Court for current request, payment and delivery instructions.
Records access and privacy: Guardianship, mental-health and other protected records may be restricted. An online image or a case entry does not automatically grant access to confidential documents.
Cobb County adult and minor guardianship guidance
Guardianship generally concerns court-authorized personal decision-making responsibilities, while conservatorship addresses management of another person’s assets or financial affairs. The court must evaluate the proposed arrangement, required notices and eligibility under Georgia law.
Adult guardianship and conservatorship
Adult proceedings can involve petitions, notice, an evaluation, an appointed attorney or other protective steps. Because a guardianship may affect personal and financial rights, a court appointment requires the appropriate legal findings.
The court’s fee schedule includes costs for adult guardian and conservator matters, but the final cost may depend on required evaluators, court-appointed professionals and service. Verify the exact petition and fee instead of assuming a single figure applies to every adult case.
Minor guardianship
Minor guardianships have separate forms, statutory conditions and notice requirements. Cobb County’s additional forms page lists a July 2026 guardianship supplement that may be required with specified permanent or temporary minor guardianship petitions.
Do not use an adult guardianship packet for a minor or assume that temporary guardianship provides the same authority as permanent appointment.
After a guardian or conservator is appointed
The court may require education, inventories, returns, reports, compliance documents and further approval for certain acts. Appointed guardians and conservators should follow the order and applicable reporting schedule rather than relying on an initial appointment alone.
Download current forms from Cobb County’s forms library. The court’s official probate homepage also links to the relevant guardianship resources.
Apply for a Cobb County marriage license
The Probate Court issues marriage licenses in Cobb County. Applying for a license is separate from holding a wedding ceremony. The court’s Marriage License page explains application requirements, identification, appointments, certified copies and instructions for applicants under 18.
- Review eligibility and required identification.Check Cobb County’s current marriage-license requirements for both applicants.
- Complete the official application.Use the linked marriage-license application and follow instructions to print the completed application for the appointment.
- Make an appointment when required.Follow the court’s appointment process for the Licensing Division.
- Bring the required documents and payment.The published fee is $56, reduced to $16 with qualifying premarital education documentation.
- Complete the marriage ceremony and recording process.A license alone does not complete a marriage. Follow the court’s requirements for the ceremony and return of documents.
Marriage certificates and certified copies
Cobb County lists $10 for a certified copy of a marriage license and $10 for a certified marriage application copy. Confirm which document a government agency, insurer or other recipient needs.
Marriage ceremonies are handled separately
Cobb County identifies the Magistrate Court as a wedding-ceremony resource, with its own ceremony schedule. If you need a marriage license on the same day as a weekday ceremony, the county instructs applicants to arrive at the Probate Court Licensing Division by 4:30 p.m. Follow current weekend and ceremony-specific instructions.
Weapons carry license services
Cobb County Probate Court also processes Georgia weapons carry license applications. Licensing is separate from estate and guardianship matters and has its own identification, eligibility, application and renewal requirements.
The published fee schedule lists a new applicant fee of $77, a renewal fee of $30, a replacement fee of $6 and a temporary license fee of $1. Rules about renewal timing and qualifications differ from those for a new application.
Applicants should review the official weapons carry licensing instructions and the required consent/application forms before a visit. Court staff can explain licensing procedures but cannot provide legal advice about firearm possession or use.
Common Cobb County probate filing mistakes
Using the wrong Georgia court
Cobb Probate Court does not replace Superior Court, State Court, Magistrate Court or Juvenile Court. Confirm that your issue involves an estate, will, guardianship, conservatorship or probate-administered license before selecting a department.
Using an old form packet
Statewide forms and Cobb’s supplemental requirements can change independently. Download a current form set from the official judiciary and county websites immediately before filing.
Paying only the base petition fee
Publication, sheriff service, certified mail and other charges may apply. When preparing a petition, ask for the total expected initial deposit, not only the amount for the basic petition.
Believing an estate has been opened because a form was submitted
Submission, filing acceptance, probate of a will and appointment of a fiduciary are separate events. Check the docket, court communications and the signed orders before taking actions that require legal authority.
Sending documents through the wrong channel
An email address on the court website is not necessarily an authorized filing method. Follow current filing instructions, including any original-document requirements and accepted electronic filing procedure.
Expecting clerks to recommend a legal strategy
The court’s forms page explains that judges and staff cannot recommend specific legal remedies. If a case involves disputed inheritance, questions about capacity, conflicting heirs or complicated assets, consult an attorney licensed in Georgia.
Prepare before contacting the clerk: Have the decedent’s name, case number if available, the type of request, the exact form or document involved, and any stated deadline. Clear procedural questions are easier to direct to the correct office.
Cobb County Probate Court address, phone and directions
Cobb County Probate Court
32 Waddell Street
Marietta, Georgia 30090
Public hours: Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m., excluding holidays or court closures.
Main telephone: 770-528-1900
Fax: 770-528-1996
Email: [email protected]
The county identifies Kelli L. Wolk as Chief Judge, with Tara C. Riddle and Kristin Poland also listed as Probate Court judges. Kristin Scott is listed as Chief Clerk.
Before traveling, check official notices about court closures, renovations and appointments. Not all services use the same intake procedure.
Which office handles other records?
| Record | Correct starting point |
|---|---|
| Probate estates and wills | Cobb County Probate Court |
| Divorce decree | Cobb County Superior Court Clerk |
| Real estate deed | Superior Court real estate records |
| Misdemeanor probation | Cobb County State Court resources |
| Death certificate | Appropriate vital records office |
| Wedding ceremony | Cobb County Magistrate Court or another authorized officiant |
Official Cobb County Probate Court resources
Use county and Georgia judiciary resources for legally consequential information. Their instructions control actual filing, public access, payment, appointments and licensing.
Related probate guides on this website
ProbateCourtUSA.org also provides guides for other Georgia counties. These are different courts with their own filing fees, online portals and forms, even when statewide Georgia law governs the overall process.
Content overlap: The site has another Cobb County article targeting closely related search intent. For stronger content organization, consider consolidating duplicated material and selecting one primary Cobb County page, while preserving valuable unique information and handling any redirect deliberately.
Cobb County Probate Court FAQs
Where is Cobb County Probate Court located?
The court is at 32 Waddell Street, Marietta, Georgia 30090. Its published hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding court closures and holidays.
What is the Cobb County Probate Court phone number?
The main number is 770-528-1900. The court also publishes the general email address [email protected] and fax number 770-528-1996.
Can I search Cobb County probate records online?
Yes. The court provides a case-status and records-search gateway on its official Probate Court homepage. Available records and document images can be reviewed, subject to public-access restrictions.
Do I need to register to view the probate docket?
The court’s records guidance states that a login is not required for viewing available public court records and docket material. Filing or other portal services may have different account requirements.
How do I find a deceased person’s estate case?
Start with the full name or known case number. Verify identifying details and check older indexes if needed. If nothing appears, contact the clerk about alternate names, filing dates or archived records.
How much does probate of a will in solemn form cost?
The court lists $200 for a Petition to Probate Will in Solemn Form. Applicable service, publication and other case-specific costs can increase the total.
What is the fee for Letters of Administration?
Cobb lists $200 for Letters of Administration without powers and $320 with powers. The latter amount includes a published four-week publication charge of $120.
How do I obtain a certified probate record?
Locate the case, identify the exact document and contact Cobb County Probate Court for the certified-copy request procedure. The published charge is $10 for the first page and $1 for each additional page.
Can I file probate documents without paying immediately?
The court describes a $30 minimum deposit provision, but it will not process the pleading until the filing fee is paid in full. An eligible person may apply for a fee waiver through the Poverty Affidavit process.
Does the court provide free legal advice?
No. Staff can explain administrative matters, but they cannot recommend legal strategies or select an appropriate remedy. Consult a Georgia attorney for legal decisions.
Where can I obtain marriage-license copies?
Use Cobb County Probate Court’s official marriage-license service. The published charge is $10 per certified marriage-license copy.
Does Probate Court handle divorce records?
No. Cobb County directs divorce records to Superior Court Clerk resources. Probate Court handles estates, guardianships, wills and specified licensing services.
Are all guardianship records available online?
No. Guardianship matters may contain sensitive personal information and can be restricted. Ask the court about the authorized records request procedure.
Which Georgia probate forms should I use?
Begin with the current Georgia standard probate form corresponding to your proceeding, then check Cobb’s local forms and supplemental requirements. Do not assume a saved packet remains current.