---
title: O.C.G.A. § 53-3-8. Minor children by individuals other than surviving spouse.
collection: code
id: 53-3-8
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 53-3-8 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/53-3-8
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/53-3-8.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/53-3-8/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t52-t53-(v40)-2021-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=d23ba203_0#page=312
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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version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: WILLS, TRUSTS, AND ADMINISTRATION OF ESTATES / YEAR’S SUPPORT
---

# O.C.G.A. § 53-3-8. Minor children by individuals other than surviving spouse.

(a) If the decedent leaves a minor child or minor children by an individual or individuals other than the surviving spouse, the probate court shall specify the portion going to the minor child or minor children of such individual or individuals, and the portion so specified shall vest in that child or those children.

(b) If the decedent leaves one or more minor children and the surviving spouse is the parent of all such minor children, the probate court may in its discretion specify separate portions for such minor children and the surviving spouse if the court deems the award of separate portions to be in the best interests of the parties, and the portions so specified shall vest separately in the surviving spouse and such minor children.

(c) If the decedent leaves one or more minor children for whom the probate court specifies separate portions under subsection (a) or (b) of this Code section, personal property in the portions so specified shall be delivered and received in compliance with Code Section 29-3-1.

## History

Code 1981, § 53-3-8, enacted by Ga. L. 1996, p. 504, § 10; Ga. L. 1997, p. 1352, § 6; Ga. L. 2020, p. 377, § 1-9/HB 865.

The 2020 amendment, effective January 1, 2021, in subsection (a), inserted ‘‘a minor child or’’, substituted ‘‘an individual or individuals other than the surviving spouse’’ for ‘‘different spouses’’, inserted ‘‘minor child or minor’’, substituted ‘‘such individual or individuals, and the portion so specified’’ for ‘‘the former spouse or spouses, which portion’’, and inserted ‘‘that child or’’; in subsection (b), inserted ‘‘one or more’’, substituted ‘‘parent of all such’’ for ‘‘parent of the’’, substituted ‘‘portions for such’’ for ‘‘portions for the’’, inserted ‘‘so specified’’, and substituted ‘‘spouse and such minor’’ for ‘‘spouse and the’’; and added subsection (c).

## Law Reviews

For article commenting on the 1997 amendment of this Code section, see 14 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 313 (1997).