As used in this article, the term:

(1) "Civil case" means those civil matters:

(A) Over which the judge of the probate court exercises judicial powers;

(B) Within the original, exclusive, or general subject matter jurisdiction of the probate court; and

(C) Which, if not for this article and Code Section 5-6-33, could be appealed to superior court for a de novo investigation with the right to a jury trial under Code Sections 5-3-2 and 5-3-29.

(2) "Probate court" means a probate court of a county having a population of more than 96,000 persons according to the United States decennial census of 1990 or any future such census in which the judge thereof has been admitted to the practice of law for at least seven years.