Have you ever thought about a Last Will and Testament? What is in it? How to do it?
Have you ever thought about handwriting your own will on a piece of paper? What about scratching one out with the writing pen on a Surface Pro? Typing one into an iPad? What would you say?
What should a will contain? How should it be signed?
What about heading over to the office supply store for a form? Or, on the other hand, using one of the online services?
More importantly, how long have you been putting off getting a will for yourself, and perhaps for your spouse?
As a judge, I cannot advise you on what to put into a will, how to do it, or what to do with it; however, I can let you know what Georgia Law as enacted by the Legislature states:
§ 53-4-20. Required writing; signing; witnesses; codicil
(a) A will shall be in writing and shall be signed by the testator or by some other individual in the testator’s presence and at the testator’s express direction. A testator may sign by mark or by any name that is intended to authenticate the instrument as the testator’s will.
(b) A will shall be attested and subscribed in the presence of the testator by two or more competent witnesses. A witness to a will may attest by mark. Another individual may not subscribe the name of a witness, even in that witness’s presence and at that witness’s direction.
(c) A codicil shall be executed by the testator and attested and subscribed by witnesses with the same formality as a will.
You may access Georgia Law for free through the Georgia Legislative site. The link is: Official Code of Georgia.
As mentioned in several places in several documents which are published on this site and as brochures for distribution, the advice of an attorney is invaluable. Perhaps at a later time I will detail “why” in more specificity. There is a separate brochure containing some suggestions on finding an attorney.