Chatham County Probate Court Basics
Chatham County Probate Court's official page identifies the court, judge, location, hours, and Article 6 status for local probate work.
The Probate Court page and record-room page together show why probate access in Chatham County is both online and office based.
Chatham County Probate Court is at 133 Montgomery Street, Room 509, Savannah, GA 31401. Judge Thomas C. Bordeaux Jr. is listed as Probate Judge. The main phone is (912) 652-7264 and the fax number is (912) 652-7262. Regular hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, with a Thursday opening time of 8:45 a.m. because of staff meetings. Licenses, permits, and the Record Room are processed or open until 4:30 p.m.
Chatham County Probate Court
Judge: Thomas C. Bordeaux Jr.
133 Montgomery Street, Room 509
Savannah, GA 31401
(912) 652-7264
Fax: (912) 652-7262
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Thursday 8:45 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Chatham County Probate Court Jurisdiction
Chatham County Probate Court is an Article 6 Probate Court. The official page states that Article 6 status gives expanded jurisdiction under Article 6, Title 15, Chapter 9 of the O.C.G.A. because of county population size. In practical terms, that status can matter for jury trials, certain matters with concurrent jurisdiction, and the route an appeal may take.
Appeals from Article 6 probate courts go to the Georgia Court of Appeals or Supreme Court of Georgia as appropriate. Article 6 probate judges generally must meet qualifications similar to Superior Court judges, including being an attorney admitted to practice for at least seven years. This makes Chatham County Probate Court more than a simple record counter, though the clerk and deputy clerks still cannot give legal advice or prepare pleadings beyond legal limits.
- Testator
- The person who made a will.
- Executor
- The person named to carry out a will after death.
- Intestate
- Dying without a valid will.
- Guardianship
- A court arrangement for personal care or decision making for a minor or adult.
- Conservatorship
- A court arrangement focused on managing money or property for a protected person.
Chatham County Probate Record Types
Probate Court record categories in Chatham County include decedent's estates, probate pleadings, wills, adult guardianship, conservatorship, temporary guardianship of a minor, marriage licenses, certified marriage records, weapons carry license records, veteran licenses or certificates of residency, and mental health orders to apprehend. Not every category is equally public, and not every category can be handled online.
The Probate Court decedent estate page explains the filing channel for estate pleadings and fees.
Estate pleadings have their own filing process, while record copies and research requests use the Record Room channels.
| Probate record | Typical content | Access channel |
|---|---|---|
| Estate file | Petitions, orders, inventories, accountings, letters, and copy requests | Record Room, mail, appointment, or online portal where available |
| Will filing | Will, petition, oath, orders, and estate administration entries | Probate Court and Record Room |
| Guardianship or conservatorship | Petitions, reports, orders, and protected-person material | Probate Court, with access limits where law requires |
| Marriage record | License, recorded certificate, and certified copies | Georgia Probate Records, mail, or appointment |
| Mental health order | Emergency order to apprehend or related sensitive file | Restricted handling, not ordinary public browsing |
File Chatham County Probate Pleadings
Probate Court accepts estate pleadings with correct fees by mail, drop box, or appointment. The filing hours captured in the research are Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mailed pleadings must be signed, verified, and include the appropriate filing fees. Pleadings sent without fees are returned without filing.
- Identify the estate, guardianship, conservatorship, or other probate matter that fits the filing.
- Use the Probate Estate appointment link when an appointment is needed for filing or information.
- Prepare signed and verified pleadings with the required fee.
- Submit by mail, drop box, or appointment, based on Probate Court's current instructions.
- For emergency pleadings, arrive early enough for processing before the end of the court day.
Note: Probate clerks may try to help with procedure, but they are forbidden from practicing law or drafting pleadings for a party.
Search Chatham County Probate Records
Chatham County's court home links a Probate Records search through Georgia Probate Records. The same ecosystem also supports recorded marriage searches and digital certified marriage copy requests. For estate records, the research points to Record Room appointment and mail methods, not a fully captured field-by-field online estate search.
Probate access should follow a fallback chain. Start online when the record is a recorded marriage or a probate index entry. Use the Record Room by appointment when staff help or a physical file is needed. Use mail when requesting research or estate copies with the correct form and payment. Call (912) 652-7264 option 1 for research and records questions when the record path is unclear.
| Channel | Best use | Payment or limit |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia Probate Records | Probate record search and recorded marriage search | Online access varies by record type |
| Record Room appointment | In-person research and certified copies | Research and copy fees apply |
| Mail request | Estate copies and research requests | Money order or cashier's check required |
| Drop box | Pleadings with correct fees | Pleadings without fees are returned |
| Phone option 1 | Research and records questions | Use for channel confirmation, not legal advice |
Chatham County Probate Record Fees
The Probate Court fees page gives payment rules, including card limits and the convenience fee.
The fee page is important because payment form can decide whether a probate copy or filing is accepted.
Probate Court accepts credit cards, debit cards, money orders in the exact amount, cashier's checks in the exact amount, and cash for many transactions. It does not accept personal checks. American Express is not accepted, and credit or debit cards carry a 5% convenience fee. The captured probate copy fees are specific to research and record-room copies.
| Item | Amount or rule |
|---|---|
| Record Room research | $10.00 for mailed requests or onsite/staff-assisted research |
| Certified copy, one page | $10.00 process/certified copy |
| Certified copy, more than one page | $10.00 plus $1.00 per page |
| Exemplified copy | $15.00 plus $1.00 per page |
| Uncertified copy | $1.00 per page |
| Digital certified marriage copy | $18.00 plus 5% convenience fee |
| Card transaction | 5% convenience fee; no American Express |
Restricted Chatham County Probate Records
Some probate-linked records are not ordinary public files. Mental health orders to apprehend can include health information. Guardianship and conservatorship records may include protected-person details. Juvenile records are governed by separate statutes and should not be treated as adult public court records.
O.C.G.A. 15-11-701 addresses juvenile file sealing and is relevant when a family, guardianship, or youth-related search touches juvenile records.
The juvenile sealing statute is not a Probate Court fee source, but it marks a key access limit for youth-related court records.
Georgia.gov's offender search page is a separate criminal-custody channel and should not be used as a probate-record source.
The offender search row reinforces a record-boundary point: estate, marriage, and guardianship files come from Probate Court, while sentenced-offender data comes from state corrections systems.
Georgia record restriction also means a record can be hidden from public view without being destroyed. Judicial officials and criminal justice agencies may retain access to restricted records. For probate users, the practical rule is simple: ask the court that holds the file whether a copy is public, sealed, redacted, or available only to parties or authorized requesters.