Wills & Succession · Georgia
Find wills lawyers in Georgia for clear, code-based estate planning
Inheritance in Georgia is governed by the Civil Code, not by judicial precedent, so the wording of a will and the compulsory share reserved for close relatives both matter. Describe your situation once and we will match you with a Georgian advocate who handles succession work.
- Advocates who practise succession and estate matters in Georgia
- Plain explanation of compulsory shares, notarial acts and court stages
- Free matching, with a first reply usually within 24–48 hours
Free matching · No obligation · Typical first response 24–48 h
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Estate planning in Georgia
Why you need a succession advocate in Georgia
Planning what happens to your assets is a private-law matter, and in Georgia it is governed by the Civil Code rather than by binding judicial precedent. That single fact shapes everything: how a will is drawn up, who may challenge it, and how much freedom the testator really has. Wills lawyers in Georgia work with the Code’s compulsory-share mechanism, the country’s Latin-type notariat and the registration duties handled by the National Agency of Public Registry. Whether you are drafting a first will, revising one after a marriage or a property purchase, or contesting a will that appears to defeat a close relative’s statutory share, an advocate who practises succession law can map your options and the realistic risks. We do not draft documents ourselves: we listen, then match you free of charge with a Georgian advocate who handles this type of work.
Georgia in practice
How succession and wills work in Georgia
Georgian succession sits inside a civil-law system built on written codes. The Civil Code regulates private-law relations, the ordinary courts apply it in three tiers, and a separate notariat and public registry handle the formal steps that surround estate planning.
Testamentary freedom and the compulsory share
Georgia’s Civil Code restricts testamentary freedom through a compulsory-share mechanism. Children, the surviving spouse and parents are entitled to a portion of the estate that a will cannot defeat, calculated by reference to the heirs who would have inherited under the rules of intestate succession. Any drafting or review of a will in Georgia starts with this calculation.
A Latin-type notariat and the Notary Chamber
Georgia operates a Latin-type notariat. Public notaries are united in the Notary Chamber of Georgia on the basis of compulsory membership and self-government. Notarial authentication is mandatory or customary for many important acts, and notaries are subject to anti-money-laundering duties. In estate planning this means a notary is frequently a necessary part of the process, alongside your advocate.
Where inheritance disputes are heard
Succession disputes between private persons are civil cases. First instance is heard by district (city) courts, where magistrate judges sit alone for property disputes up to GEL 2,000 and certain other matters. Appeals go to the courts of appeal and cassation review to the Supreme Court of Georgia. Court decisions do not create binding precedent, though Supreme Court jurisprudence guides uniform interpretation.
Who may represent you in court
Advocacy in Georgia is a single, self-governing profession, and membership of the Georgian Bar Association is compulsory in order to practise under the Law of Georgia on Advocates. Before first-instance courts you may appear in person or through any authorised representative, but appearance before the courts of appeal and the Supreme Court requires a licensed advocate.
State fees and advocates’ costs
State fees are fixed by the Civil Procedure Code: a non-property claim attracts GEL 100 at first instance, GEL 150 on appeal and GEL 300 on cassation, while non-contentious matters attract GEL 50, GEL 100 and GEL 300 respectively. Advocates’ fees are freely agreed between advocate and client and form part of the extra-judicial costs a court may order the losing party to reimburse.
Language, registration and matrimonial property
Judicial proceedings are conducted in Georgian, so a party who does not command the language needs interpretation or translation. Property rights are registered through the National Agency of Public Registry, via Public Service Halls and territorial offices. Property acquired during marriage is by default community property under Article 1158 of the Civil Code unless the spouses agree otherwise — a point that carries into estate planning.
The country information on this page is taken from official Georgian sources — the Constitution, the Civil Code and Civil Procedure Code, the Georgian Bar Association and the National Agency of Public Registry — as published at the time of writing in 2025.
- Constitution of Georgia — Parliament of Georgia
- Civil Code of Georgia — Legislative Herald of Georgia
- Civil Procedure Code of Georgia — Legislative Herald of Georgia
- Georgian Bar Association — How to become a member
- Notariat in Georgia — Legislative Herald of Georgia
- National Agency of Public Registry
Common difficulties
What people usually get wrong about wills in Georgia
Most problems begin long before a dispute reaches a courtroom: with an assumption about how much freedom Georgian law actually allows.
The compulsory share is easy to overlook
You want to leave your estate as you choose, but Georgian succession law reserves a portion for children, the surviving spouse and parents. A will drafted without that calculation can be challenged later, at cost and delay.
Family changes outpace the paperwork
Marriage, divorce, a new property or a death in the family can quietly invalidate the assumptions behind an old will. Reviewing the document after each change is what keeps it aligned with the Civil Code.
Cross-border assets, one Georgian procedure
Property in Georgia combined with heirs or assets abroad raises questions about which documents are needed locally, who may act, and how notarial and registry formalities fit together. Guessing is expensive.
Why use our matching
How we connect you with succession advocates
We are a matching service, not a law firm. Our role is to understand your matter and route it to an advocate who already works on Georgian succession files.
Advocates regulated by the Georgian Bar Association
Bar membership is compulsory in order to practise in Georgia, so the professionals you are matched with are subject to the profession’s own qualification and disciplinary framework.
Succession work under the Civil Code
Your matter is assessed against the Code’s rules on compulsory shares, notarial acts and civil procedure, without reassuring shortcuts or any promise about the outcome.
Fees agreed directly with your advocate
Advocates’ fees in Georgia are freely agreed between advocate and client, with no official tariffs, so you can discuss scope and cost openly before deciding to instruct anyone.
Free matching, no obligation
You submit one request, receive a response and then decide whether to proceed. Matching costs nothing, and you are never bound to instruct the advocate we suggest.
Other jurisdictions
Looking beyond Georgia?
Estate planning rarely stops at one border. If you hold assets or have heirs in another European or neighbouring country, we can match you with a specialist for that jurisdiction as well.
Questions and answers
Wills and inheritance in Georgia: frequently asked questions
How much freedom do I have to decide who inherits in Georgia?
Less than in some jurisdictions. The Civil Code gives children, the surviving spouse and parents a compulsory share — a portion of the estate that cannot be defeated by a will. That share is calculated by reference to the heirs who would have inherited under intestate succession, so any will must be checked against the calculation.
Does a will in Georgia have to be notarially authenticated?
Georgia has a Latin-type notariat, and notarial authentication is mandatory or customary for a range of important acts, including transfers of immovable property. Notaries belong to the Notary Chamber of Georgia and are subject to anti-money-laundering duties. Whether a specific instrument requires notarial form depends on the act in question, so an advocate should confirm it for your documents.
Can I represent myself in a Georgian inheritance dispute?
At first instance, before a district (city) court or a magistrate judge, parties are not obliged to be represented and may appear in person or through any authorised representative. Before the courts of appeal and the Supreme Court of Georgia, however, bar admission is mandatory, so a licensed advocate must act for you at those stages.
What time limits apply to succession-related claims in Georgia?
The general limitation period for civil claims is ten years, while contractual claims are time-barred after three years. A claim to rescind a transaction made by deceit must be brought within one year. Procedural deadlines are much shorter: fourteen days to appeal a first-instance civil judgment and twenty-one days to seek cassation review.
In which language are Georgian court proceedings conducted?
Court proceedings in Georgia are conducted in Georgian, the official state language, and decisions are made in the name of Georgia. Parties who do not command Georgian require translation or interpretation during the proceedings. Documents and correspondence may need translating as well, which is worth planning for from the outset.
How does your service help me find wills lawyers in Georgia?
You describe your situation once — drafting a will, revising it after a change in family or property, or disputing a will that appears to cut across a compulsory share. We then match you with a Georgian advocate who handles succession work, free of charge and with no obligation. You decide whether to instruct them.
Next step
Tell us about your estate matter in Georgia
Send us a short description of your situation — what you need drafted, reviewed or contested, and where the assets are located. We will match you with a Georgian advocate who works on succession matters and let you decide how to proceed.