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Hall County Courthouse - 1st Floor
This court processes wills, estate administrations, guardianships, and issues marriage, firearms, and disabled veterans licenses.
Persons must be at least 18 years of age to apply for a marriage license. If either person is age 16 or 17, both parents of this person must sign the marriage application. If the parents are divorced, the custodial parent must produce legal custody documents at the time of application.
When applying for a Marriage License, applicants must produce the following:
- A valid driver's license, other identification card with photo and birth date, or valid passport.
- Each applicant must have a valid birth certificate.
- If either applicant has had a prior marriage they will need to produce, at the time of application, a copy of the Final Judgment or Decree of Divorce signed by the Judge of Superior Court, or if either applicant's former spouse is deceased a death certificate will be required.
As of July 1, 2003 blood tests are no longer required to obtain a marriage license.
Both parties will be required to be present ot the Hall County Probate Court ot the time of application in order to sign the application. If for some reason this is not possible, one party may come in and supply the information, but prior to the marriage, the other party will be required to come into Probate Court and sign the application.
Cost for a Marriage License: $53.00*.
Marriage Licenses are issued M-F 8:30am-4:30pm.
No appointment is required.
* You may qualify for waiver of the Application fee if you attend a qualifying premarital education program pursuant to Georgia House Bill 378 which entails a minimum of six (6) hours of counseling.
| FEES |
Without
Certification of Premarital Counseling |
With
Certification of Premarital Counseling |
| Application Fee |
$35.00 |
$0.00 |
| Vital Records Recording Fee |
$1.00 |
$1.00 |
| Children's Trust Fund Fee |
$15.00 |
$15.00 |
| Folder Certificate |
$2.00 |
$2.00 |
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|
|
| TOTAL |
$53.00 |
$18.00 |
This section gives a brief description of what it takes to qualify for a license and how to apply. For complete details and explanations of all requirements, please read the Application for Concealed Weapon or Firearm License in Probate Court. The concealed weapon or firearm program is administered by the Georgia Department of State in accordance with State and Federal law.
Section 16-11-126, Georgia Statues defines concealed weapons or firearms as those carried in a manner that conceals them from the ordinary sight of another person. This includes:
- Revolver/pistol/handguns, etc.
- Metal knuckles
- Bludgeons
- Knives
Section 16-11-127, Georgia Statutes lists the places where you cannot carry a weapon or firearm even if you have a license.
Eligibility:
- 21 years of age or older.
- A resident of Hall County.
- Valid Drivers License or photo ID.
- Be fingerprinted.
- Knowledgeable of O.C.G.A 16-11-(127-129) Statutes on weapons and firearms.
- Complete the Firearms Application & Consent Form.
- Pay the required fees.
If an applicant is ineligible, the application will be denied. The possible reasons for denial are:
- Physical inability to handle a firearm safely.
- Felony convictions (unless civil and firearm rights have been restored by the State of Georgia Office of Pardons & Paroles).
- Having adjudication withheld or sentence suspended on a felony unless 3 years have elapsed since probation or other condition set by the court have been fulfilled, ie. First Offender convictions.
- Conviction for a violent crime in the last 3 years.
- Drug or alcohol abuse Misdemeanors or Felonies.
- Commitment to a mental institution within the last 5 years of having been adjudicated incapacitated.
Detailed explanations for all of these are given in the Application for Concealed Weapon or Firearms License.
Application process:
- Apply at the Hall County Probate Court between the hours of 8:30am - 4:30pm Monday - Fridays. We're located at 225 Green Street, Suite 1000 Gainesville, Ga 30501.
- Pay Application fees and bring your ID.
- You will complete your Firearms Application and Consent Form at the Probate Court.
- In the presence of a Probate Court clerk, you will have to sign a Consent Form for your criminal background investigation.
- You must purchase a money order for $26.00 payable to "G.C.I.C." to accompany your application.
- You will need to take all your documents to the Hall County Detention Center from Monday - Thursday to get your fingerprints done. Fingerprinting is done from 3:30 - 5:00pm.
- The detention center will take all the application documents given to you by the Probate Court.
- Your Firearms License will be mailed to the address given on your application.
- Refer to the Probate clerk as to what your total fee will be. We accept cash and local checks only. This fee is NOT REFUNDABLE.
- For further questions please contact the Hall County Probate Court at 770-531-6921.
Fees:
First-time Applicant Fee: $41.00
Replacement Fee: $5.00
Once the Hall County Probate Court has your completed application it will take about 90 days for the F.B.I. to process it and notify you of the outcome. Processing may take longer than 90 days if additional information regarding criminal records must be obtained. The license is good for a period of 5 years. Ninety days before your license expires, you may come in and request to renew your firearms license.
Applying for a license to carry a concealed weapon or firearm for self defense is a privilege of law-abiding Georgians. However, you must remember that a license to carry a weapon or firearm concealed on your person does not authorize you to use that weapon. Use of a concealed weapon or firearm is regulated by other provisions of Georgia Law.
A "guardianship" is a legal relationship wherein the Court appoints a person (a guardian) to make certain decisions for another person (a ward) proven to need such assistance. The decision-making power removed from a person should be as limited as possible. Under Georgia law, a guardianship shall be "designed to encourage the development of maximum self-reliance and independence in the [person] and shall be ordered only to the extent necessitated by the person's actual and adaptive limitations." (O.C.G.A. 29-5-7(h)). A guardianship can be created on an emergency basis, and it can be temporary (limited in duration) or permanent. Guardianships can be limited in scope, removing as few rights as necessary.
Guardianship can be of the person or they can be of the property. The most restrictive guardianship is a guardianship of the person and property without any limits on the powers of the guardian. A Guardianship of the Person can take away a person's rights to decide to marry, make contracts, consent to medical treatment, establish a residence, and bring or defend an action in court. A Guardianship of the Property can take away a person's rights to decide to bring and defend actions in court, make contracts, buy and sell property, and enter into business and commercial transactions. Since the Court should remove as few rights as possible, and all of the rights under each type of guardianship are removed if the Court says nothing about limits, it is essential that any guardianship action be specific as to what is needed.
Guardian Eligibility
Any person who is not a minor, has not been deemed "incapacitated" or does not have a substantial conflict of interest can be a guardian. The law lists preferences as to whom the Court should appoint. A person chosen by an adult, especially before any interruption in decision-making ability, has first preference. Thereafter, in descending order, preferences are a spouse, an adult child, and then the parent. The Court may pass over someone considered a preference to appoint someone else. If no one is available or qualified to become a person's guardian, the Court may appoint the director of the County Department of Family and Children Services as guardian of the person and the county guardian as guardian of the property.
Appointment of a Guardian
Guardianship is imposed by a formal legal procedure since a person's right to make decisions should not be casually removed. Any interested person may file a petition by completing the form available from the County Probate Court. Limits to the guardianship should be listed in the petition. Friends and relatives should bring the abilities of the person to the Court's attention so rights are not lost unneccessarily.
There is a filing fee. A report of a physician or psychologist who has examined the person within ten days of filing the petition should be provided where there is only one petitioner. The Court will order an evaluation by a disinterested psycologist. If probable cause of incapacity exists, the judge will then schedule a hearing from which the judge will decide to grant the guardianship, or not. Once a guardianship is imposed, any interested person, including the person under a guardianship, can ask the Court to modify or terminate the guardianship.
 Download the "Guardianship and its Alternatives in Georgia" brochure from the Georgia Advocacy Office. (PDF)
View the "Handbook for Guardians" online from the Georgia Probate Court Information System.
Patti Cornett
Probate Judge
 770-531-6921
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225 Green Street, SE
Gainesville, GA
30501
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