Section 44-2-30. Filing and recording of notice of settlement

   (a) Any party, or his or her legal representative, to a settlement which will convey legal or equitable title to real estate or any interest therein or create any lien thereon by way of a deed to secure debt, mortgage, or other instrument may file an instrument to be designated a "notice of settlement" with the clerk of the superior court of the county in which the real estate is situated. The notice of settlement shall be filed, permanently recorded, and indexed by the clerk of the superior court in the same manner as real estate records of the county. The clerk of the superior court shall transmit such information regarding notices of settlement as required by the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority for inclusion in the state-wide uniform automated information system for real and personal property records, as provided for by Code Sections 15-6-97 and 15-6-98. The clerk of the superior court shall charge a fee for the filing and recording of the notice of settlement as is required for filing other instruments pertaining to real estate as set forth in division (f)(1)(A)(i) of Code Section 15-6-77.

(b) The notice of settlement provided for in subsection (a) of this Code section shall be signed by said party or legal representative and shall set forth the names of the parties to the settlement and a description of the real estate. If the notice is executed by any one other than an attorney at law of this state, the execution shall be acknowledged or proved in the manner provided by law for the acknowledgment or proof of deeds.

(c) After the filing of a notice of settlement, any person claiming title to, an interest in, or a lien upon the real estate described in the notice through any party in the notice shall be deemed to have acquired said title, interest, or lien with knowledge of the anticipated settlement and shall be subject to the terms, conditions, and provisions of the deed or mortgage between the parties filed within the period provided by subsection (e) of this Code section.

(d) The form of the notice of settlement shall be substantially as follows:
 
 
                       "NOTICE OF REAL ESTATE SETTLEMENT                       


This form must be executed by a party or legal representative. If the notice is executed by anyone other than an attorney at law in Georgia, it must be executed and acknowledged or proved in the same manner as a deed.
 
Name(s) and address(es)                                                       
                                                                              
                                                                              
                                                                              
                                                                              
Seller(s)                                                                     
-and-                                                                         
Name(s) and address(es)                                                       
                                                                              
                                                              Notice        
                                                                of          
                                                            Settlement      
Buyer(s)                                                                      
-and-                                                                         
Name(s) and address(es)                                                       
                                                                              
                                                                              
                                                                              
                                                                              
Mortgagee(s)                                                                  

NOTICE is hereby given of a contract, agreement, and mortgage and commitment between the parties hereto.

The lands to be affected are described as follows:
 
   All that certain tract or parcel of lands and premises situate lying and 
being in the                  of         , County of                  and State of Georgia, 
commonly known as                  and more particularly described as follows:
 
   Tax map reference
 
   County of          Block No.    Lot No.    Block   
 
                                       Prepared by:
 
                                                     
 
                                               Name
 
                                                     
 
                                                     
 
                                               Address
 
                                                     
 
                                               Telephone Number"

(e) The notice of settlement shall be effective for 30 days from the date of filing; provided, however, that the notice of settlement shall be allowed to be renewed by a second filing for one additional 30 day period. Any lien filed during said 30 days shall attach to the premises described in the notice immediately upon the expiration of the 30 days, provided that the premises have not been conveyed and notwithstanding the filing of a subsequent notice of settlement.

Code 1981, § 44-2-30, enacted by Ga. L. 2006, p. 649, § 1/HB 1282; Ga. L. 2007, p. 47, § 44/SB 103.