Series
Series Information A set of records belonging to the same recordkeeping system. Series can be related to each other and to agencies

Probate files (wills) - Testamentary Causes Jurisdiction, Supreme Court of South Australia (GRS/1334)

Calendar Date Range: 1844 - CT
Read access Public Access: Partially open

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About this series

Access Determination

Whole of Series: Open after 100 years. D14/01933. Signed 09/12/2013.

These records (except consignment 1) are subject to an increased retrieval timeframe. Please contact the Reference Officer prior to requesting.

Retention status

Permanent. RDS 2012/06 v1: 8.2.1;;(previously RDS 1999/4: 2.1)

Description

This series consists of probate files relating the administration of wills, from 1844 onwards.

Over the life of this series, the numbering sequence has changed several times. The file ranges and approximate dates are:

- Files 1 - 12306, from 1844 to 1891
- Files 1 - 100000, from 1892 to 1948
- Files A1 - A47357, from 1948 to 1965
- Files 1 - 97605, from 1960 to 1979
- Files B1 - B89259, from 1980 - 1997
- Files C1 - ct, from 1992 - ct.

It is not known why two sequences of probate file numbering were used simultaneously between 1960 and 1965. Despite the changes in the file number systems, the content of the files in this series remains the same.

The files may contain: wills, oath of administrator, bonds, letters of administration, orders, certificates, petitions, affidavits and correspondence relating to the process of granting probate.

On 26 November 2018 Probate was the first jurisdiction in South Australia to transition to CourtSA. All probate lodgments were made electronically using CourtSA, the Courts Administration Authority's electronic court management system. The system was used to collect, store and process court matters electronically statewide.

Wills, Letters of Administration and Grants of Probate were copied into Probate and Adminstration books, see GRS 16377 (1844-1892), GRS 11585 (1892-1965) and GRS 11028 (1960-2013). GRS/16377 is available online https://archives.sa.gov.au/finding-information/using-our-collection/online-records.

A consolidated set of copies of various probate indexes from 1844 to 1999 is available at the Probate Registry.

Arranged numerically.

Consignments in this series Information This series contains these consignments

See a list of units or boxes of records in this series that are available for viewing and/or ordering.