---
title: O.C.G.A. § 15-9-120. Definitions.
collection: code
id: 15-9-120
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 15-9-120 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-9-120
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-9-120.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-9-120/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t15-ch1-11a-(v13)-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=9c57686b_0#page=105
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
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publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: COURTS / PROBATE COURTS / JURY TRIALS AND APPEALS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 15-9-120. Definitions.

As used in this article, the term:

(1) “Civil case” means those civil matters:

(A) Over which the judge of the probate court exercises judicial powers;

(B) Within the original, exclusive, or general subject matter jurisdiction of the probate court; and

(C) Which, if not for this article and Code Section 5-6-33, could be appealed to superior court for a de novo investigation with the right to a jury trial under Code Sections 5-3-4 and 5-3-5.

(2) “Probate court” means a probate court of a county having a population of more than 90,000 persons according to the United States decennial census of 2010 or any future such census in which the judge thereof has been admitted to the practice of law for at least seven years.

## History

Code 1981, § 15-9-120, enacted by Ga. L. 1986, p. 982, § 6; Ga. L. 1988, p. 743, § 2; Ga. L. 1988, p. 745, § 2; Ga. L. 1988, p. 746, § 2; Ga. L. 1994, p. 1665, § 2; Ga. L. 2012, p. 683, § 3/HB 534; Ga. L. 2022, p. 767, § 2-8/HB 916.

## Editor's Notes

Ga. L. 2022, p. 767, § 3-1/HB 916, not codified by the General Assembly, makes this Code section applicable to petitions for review filed in superior or state court on or after July 1, 2023.

## Law Reviews

For article with annual survey on wills, trusts, guardianships, and fiduciary administration, see 73 Mercer L. Rev. 281 (2021).

## Amendments

The 2022 amendment, effective July 1, 2023, substituted “Code Sections 5-3-4 and 5-3-5” for “Code Sections 5-3-2 and 5-3-29” at the end of subparagraph (1)(C). See Editor’s notes for applicability.