---
title: O.C.G.A. § 53-4-45. Revival or republication of previous will.
collection: code
id: 53-4-45
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 53-4-45 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/53-4-45
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/53-4-45.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/53-4-45/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=393
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/53-4.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/53-4-44.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/53-4-46.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
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 / WILLS / REVOCATION AND REPUBLICATION
---

# O.C.G.A. § 53-4-45. Revival or republication of previous will.

(a) If a will or other written instrument that expressly revoked a previous will in its entirety is revoked by a later will or other written instrument, as described in Code Section 53-4-43, the previous will remains revoked unless it is revived. The previous will is revived if it appears from the terms of the later will or other written instrument that the testator intended the previous will to take effect.

(b) If a will or other written instrument that expressly revoked a previous will in its entirety is revoked by an act, as described in Code Section 53-4-44, the previous will remains revoked unless it is revived. The previous will is revived if it appears from the circumstances of the revocation of the will or other written instrument or from the testator’s contemporaneous or subsequent declarations that the testator intended the previous will to take effect.

(c) If a will or other written instrument that expressly revoked or amended a previous will in part is revoked by a later will or other written instrument, as described in Code Section 53-4-43, the revoked or amended part of the previous will is revived to the extent it appears from the terms of the later will or other written instrument that the testator intended the previous will to take effect.

(d) If a will or other written instrument that expressly revoked or amended a previous will in part is revoked by an act, as described in Code Section 53-4-44, the revoked or amended part of the previous will is revived unless it is evident from the circumstances of the revocation of the will or other written instrument or from the testator’s contemporaneous or subsequent declarations that the testator did not intend the revoked or amended part of the previous will to take effect as executed.

(e) If a will or other written instrument that expressly revoked a previous will in whole or in part is revoked by a later will or other written instrument, as described in Code Section 53-4-43, or by an act, as described in Code Section 53-4-44, and the previous will or any revoked or amended portion is not revived in accordance with the provisions of this Code section, the previous will may be republished in whole or in part in accordance with Code Section 53-4-50.

## History

Code 1981, § 53-4-45, enacted by Ga. L. 1996, p. 504, § 10.

## Code Commission Notes

Pursuant to Code Section 28-9-5, in 1996, ‘‘Code Section’’ was substituted for ‘‘Code’’ in subsections (c) and (d).