Georgia CommonsHouse · Passed · 2025-2026 Regular Session
HB 530: Courts; authorization for electronic filing of pleadings in probate court; provide
Last action July 1, 2026 · Effective Date
House Bill 530 requires Georgia's probate courts to set up electronic filing for civil case pleadings by January 1, 2029, with rules on fees, public access, and exceptions for sensitive filings.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the bill and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Enrolled version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
Georgia's probate courts currently have no statewide requirement to accept electronic filings. House Bill 530 adds a new section to Georgia law directing every probate court to set up electronic filing for civil pleadings and other documents, following standards written by the Council of Probate Court Judges of Georgia, by January 1, 2029. After that date, attorneys and self-represented parties would generally have to file electronically once a court starts mandatory e-filing, though courts must still accept paper documents brought in person and convert them to electronic form, and must provide a public terminal for filing. The bill caps what electronic filing companies can charge: a one-time fee of no more than $30 per filer per case, plus a capped convenience fee for credit card or bank payments. Government agencies, court-appointed attorneys, and guardians ad litem are exempted from fees. Sealed, in camera, pauper's affidavit, and emergency-area filings are excluded from some of the new rules. Attorneys and parties get free unlimited access to their own case documents.
What the bill does
- Requires every Georgia probate court to offer electronic filing for civil pleadings and related documents by January 1, 2029, under statewide standards.
- Makes electronic filing mandatory for attorneys and self-represented parties once a court turns it on, while requiring courts to still accept and convert paper documents brought in person.
- Caps the electronic filing fee at $30 per filer per case and limits the credit card convenience fee to 3.5 percent plus 30 cents per transaction.
- Exempts government agencies, court-appointed attorneys, guardians ad litem, and certain leave-of-absence filings from the electronic filing fee.
- Guarantees attorneys and pro se parties free, unlimited access to view and download documents from their own cases.
- Excludes sealed filings, in camera or ex parte filings, pauper's affidavits, and filings in declared emergency areas from some of the new requirements.
Who it affects
Probate court judges and clerks, attorneys who practice in probate court, self-represented (pro se) litigants, electronic filing service providers, county governments that receive a share of filing fees, and government agencies or guardians ad litem who file paperwork in probate cases.
Why it matters
Georgians dealing with wills, estates, guardianships, and other probate matters would eventually have to file paperwork online rather than on paper, which could speed up access to court records but also creates new fees and requires courts to provide backup options like public terminals for people without internet access or legal help.
Key provisions
- Adds new Code Section 15-9-86.2 requiring probate courts to enable electronic filing for civil matters by January 1, 2029, under rules set by the Council of Probate Court Judges of Georgia.
- Once mandatory e-filing begins, clerks generally cannot accept paper filings from attorneys, but must accommodate pro se parties and in-person filers by converting paper documents into electronic form.
- Courts must provide a public terminal at the courthouse or county law library for filing once mandatory electronic filing starts.
- Sets fee limits: up to $30 per filer per case for the one-time filing fee, and up to 3.5 percent plus 30 cents for credit card or bank draft convenience fees.
- The probate court keeps $2.00 of each filing fee for the county, with no other portion going to any other government office.
- Certain filers, including government agencies, court-appointed attorneys, and guardians ad litem, are exempt from the electronic filing fee.
- Sealed filings, pauper's affidavits, in camera or ex parte submissions, and filings in declared emergency areas are excluded from several of the new requirements.
- Judges and their staff must have continuous access to all electronically filed documents, and filings are considered submitted at the time received by the filing service provider.
From the bill
“all pleadings and any other document related thereto in any civil matter in a probate court shall be filed by electronic means through the court's electronic filing service provider”
“One-time fee for electronically filing pleadings or documents in a civil action and the electronic service of pleadings, regardless of how many parties shall be served, which shall not exceed $30.00 per filer, per case”
“An attorney, or party if he or she is pro se, shall be allowed unlimited access to view and download any pleading or document electronically filed”
Discussed in meetings (7)
The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.
Senate Judiciary Committee, March 9, 2026
From 1:05:12 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor presented a substitute for HB 530 establishing electronic filing in probate courts. The sponsor said it clarified that electronic filing would become mandatory, while requiring courts to accept and digitize paper filings from people representing themselves and provide public filing terminals. The sponsor said these protections addressed concerns about access for people without computers or technical skills. The sponsor also described transition rules for pending cases, including a one-year grace period for attorneys. One member supported the paper-filing protection but asked to extend it to attorneys, rather than requiring attorneys appearing at the courthouse to use a terminal. The sponsor agreed. Members and legislative counsel discussed adding attorneys to the accommodation provision, removing a separate exception and correcting a word to its plural form. Rather than amend the text immediately, the chair requested a new substitute. Another member asked whether courts would use one statewide system. The sponsor said a uniform system was contemplated under standards set by the Council of Probate Court Judges. The committee took no action, with the chair proposing further consideration Thursday if revised language was ready.
Senate Judiciary Committee, March 16, 2026
From 0:28:55 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor presented a revised substitute for HB 530, which had been held at the previous hearing for changes. The sponsor said the substitute moved the effective date from January 1, 2028, to January 1, 2029, retained language concerning fees while removing some exceptions, and removed the deadline after which attorneys could no longer file on paper. The sponsor said this would allow paper filing to continue indefinitely. There were no substantive questions or public testimony. The committee unanimously recommended passage by substitute.
Senate Rules Committee, March 20, 2026
From 0:27:00 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said the bill would allow electronic filing in probate courts to modernize court operations. No substantive questions followed. During a later review of the consideration list, the chair confirmed that the bill had been covered, but no calendar selection was recorded.
Senate Rules Committee, March 23, 2026
From 0:24:28 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 530 would allow electronic filing in probate courts beginning in January 2029. No substantive questions were asked. A committee member later requested the bill for the floor calendar, and it was included in the package approved unanimously.
Senate floor session, March 25, 2026 (legislative day 37)
From 5:28:05 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the bill's status history (Senate Third Read)
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 530 would allow electronic filing in probate courts, making filing easier for court users and improving court operations. The sponsor said the substitute preserved exceptions where paper filing was necessary and required resources for people filing in person. No questions or opposition followed. The Senate adopted the substitute and passed it 48 to 0.
House floor session, March 27, 2026 (legislative day 38, part 2)
From 0:45:54 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the bill's status history (House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub)
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said the Senate version of HB 530 moved the effective date for probate-court electronic filing to January 1, 2029, and clarified that electronic filing would become mandatory then. The sponsor said courts would have to maintain a public-access terminal and assist people who have difficulty using digital systems. The sponsor also described wording changes concerning fee exceptions. No questions were asked. The House agreed to the Senate substitute 159 to 0.
Status timeline
- Effective Date
- Act 383
- House Date Signed by Governor (House)
- House Sent to Governor (House)
- House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub (House)
- Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
- Senate Third Read (Senate)
- Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
Show full history (20 actions)
- Senate Recommitted (Senate)
- Senate Taken from Table (Senate)
- Senate Tabled (Senate)
- Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
- Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- House Passed/Adopted (House)
- House Third Readers (House)
- House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Rob Leverett (R, HD-123)
- Matt Reeves (R, HD-99)
- Mitchell Scoggins (R, HD-14)
- Trey Kelley (R, HD-16)
- Mary Margaret Oliver (D, HD-84)
- Brian Strickland (R, SD-42)
Votes
- House voteMarch 6, 2025
174 yea, 0 nay (1 not voting, 5 excused)
- Senate voteMarch 25, 2026
48 yea, 0 nay (3 not voting, 3 excused)
- House voteMarch 27, 2026
159 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 12 excused)
Topics
- probate court
- electronic filing
- court fees
- Georgia courts
- estate and guardianship cases