Detailed answer — how Georgia law treats an old conveyance

Start by picturing a simple chain of events: your mother was the owner; at some point a deed was executed and recorded showing the property passing out of her estate to another party; decades have passed and the current owner appears to have a chain of title going back to that recorded deed. In Georgia, recorded deeds are strong evidence of ownership. Two general legal principles control most outcomes:

1. Validity of a recorded deed: If the deed was properly executed, delivered, and recorded, it generally transfers title. A recorder’s office filing gives notice to the world and protects subsequent purchasers who rely on the public record. To review the underlying law, see Georgia’s property law and recording statutes in the Georgia Code, Title 44 (Property): O.C.G.A. Title 44.
2. Time and finality: When decades pass after a recorded transfer, courts are reluctant to undo transactions. Possession and lapse of time can perfect a title for an adverse possessor or a bona fide purchaser. Georgia’s adverse possession and related provisions are in Title 44 as well: O.C.G.A. Title 44 (Adverse possession). In many situations, waiting many years will eliminate the right to successfully challenge the conveyance.

Common outcomes under realistic fact patterns

• Conveyance was valid and recorded: The most likely result is that the person named on the recorded deed (and any subsequent bona fide purchasers) owns the property and you have no legal interest. The chain of title in public records will show the transfer.
• Conveyance was made by an executor or administrator in probate: If an executor legitimately sold estate property in accordance with the probate court’s authority and procedures, that sale typically cuts off heirs’ claims once finalized and recorded. Check the probate file for court orders authorizing sale.
• Possible challenges (limited and fact-specific):
  • Fraud, forgery, or identity theft used to create the deed;
  • The person who executed the deed lacked capacity or was coerced;
  • An executor or attorney-in-fact exceeded their legal authority when conveying the property;
  • The deed was never properly delivered or fails to meet statutory formalities.

  If one of these problems exists and you can prove it, a court might set the conveyance aside. However, those challenges face legal hurdles: evidentiary burdens, statutes of limitation, and defenses like laches or the protections afforded to good-faith purchasers.

What you should do now — practical steps

If a survey or title report shows the property left your mother’s estate long ago, take these steps quickly:

1. Obtain certified copies of the recorded deed(s) from the county recorder/clerks’ office where the property was recorded. A deed’s language can reveal whether an executor, administrator, or third party signed it.
2. Get the probate file for your mother’s estate from the county probate court. Look for petitions, inventories, sale orders, and orders of distribution showing how the personal and real property were handled. Georgia probate law is in O.C.G.A. Title 53: O.C.G.A. Title 53 (Probate).
3. Run a chain-of-title or full title search (through a title company or attorney) to see all transfers since the recorded conveyance. This will confirm whether subsequent purchasers relied on that deed and whether any title insurance was issued.
4. Consider whether any statute of limitations or adverse-possession periods have run against claims to the property. These time limits can bar relief in many circumstances; see property/trespass/adverse-possession provisions in O.C.G.A. Title 44: O.C.G.A. Title 44.
5. Consult a Georgia real property or probate attorney promptly if you believe fraud, forgery, or lack of authority may have caused an improper conveyance. An attorney can evaluate deadlines and advise whether a lawsuit to set aside a deed, reopen probate, or bring a quiet-title action has merit.

When you likely have no claim

You probably have no enforceable interest when:

• A properly executed and recorded deed shows the estate sold or otherwise transferred the property;
• The probate file contains orders approving the sale or distribution;
• Many years have passed and the current owner is a good-faith purchaser who relied on the recorded deed.

When you might have a claim worth pursuing

You may have a plausible claim if you can show by evidence that:

• The signature on the deed was forged or your mother lacked capacity when the deed was signed;
• An executor sold property without probate court authority or in violation of the executor’s fiduciary duties;
• A key document (like a will or order) was fraudulently produced or concealed.

Even with these facts, challenges can be difficult after decades; consult counsel quickly to avoid losing rights under statutes of limitation or equitable defenses.

Where to look for records (Georgia-specific resources)

• County Superior Court Clerk or Clerk of Superior Court (deed records) — each county maintains recorded deeds and land records.
• County Probate Court — probate files for your mother’s estate (orders, inventories, accountings, sale orders).
• Title company — to run a chain-of-title report and locate liens or title insurance policies.
• Georgia statutes on property and probate: O.C.G.A. Title 44 (Property) and O.C.G.A. Title 53 (Probate): Title 44 · Title 53.

Helpful Hints

• Don’t rely on a single survey or informal map. Use recorded deeds and an official title search to confirm ownership.
• Get certified copies of all deeds and probate orders; those documents are proof in court and for title companies.
• Act quickly if you suspect fraud or forgery — evidence gets lost and legal deadlines can run.
• If the deed lists an executor or administrator as grantor, check the probate docket to confirm the court authorized the sale.
• Consider hiring a title company to check for title insurance — a title policy may already protect a current owner and affect remedies.
• Keep a file of everything you collect (record copies, correspondence, survey, title reports). Organized evidence helps counsel assess your case faster.
• Remember that equitable defenses (like laches) and statutes of limitation may prevent relief after long delays — don’t wait to ask an attorney about deadlines.