§ 15-9-38 — Filing of wills; confidentiality of files; public docket

(a) Any person who has made a will may file it in the office of the judge of the probate court of the county of his residence. The judge shall maintain a docket in which he shall register the will, the date on which it was deposited in his office, and the date of withdrawal of the will by the person making the same or some other person, as the case may be, if the same is withdrawn. The files shall be confidential, and no person other than the person depositing the same, his legal representative, or his attorney in fact shall have access to the file prior to the death of the person making and depositing the will. The docket maintained by the judge shall be public as are other dockets in his office. (b) Nothing in this Code section shall be construed so as to prohibit any person from revoking such will by the execution of a subsequent will or so as to change the ambulatory nature of the will of any person.