§ 17-12-7. Councilmembers; Responsibilities; Voting; Removal; Quorum; Meetings; Officers; Expenses
All members of the council shall at all times act in the best interest of indigent defendants who are receiving legal representation under the provisions of this chapter. All members of the council shall be entitled to vote on any matter coming before the council unless otherwise provided by law or by rules adopted by […]
§ 17-12-9. Continuing Legal Education for Public Defenders and Staff
The council shall be authorized to conduct or approve for credit or reimbursement, or both, basic and continuing legal education courses or other appropriate training programs for the circuit public defenders or their staff members. The council, in accordance with such policies as it shall adopt, shall be authorized to provide reimbursement, in whole or […]
§ 17-12-10. Annual Reporting
Upon request, the council shall prepare annually a report of its activities in order to provide the General Assembly, the Governor, and the Supreme Court of Georgia with an accurate description and accounting of the preceding year’s expenditures and revenue, including moneys received from cities and county governing authorities. Upon request, the council shall provide […]
§ 17-12-10.1. Legislative Oversight Committee Created; Membership; Audits
There is created the Legislative Oversight Committee for the Georgia Public Defender Council which shall be composed of eight persons: three members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, three members of the Senate appointed by the Senate Committee on Assignments or such person or entity as established […]
§ 17-12-10.2. Civil Liability
The members of the council as created by this article, the members of the circuit public defender supervisory panel created by Article 2 of this chapter, and other policy-making or administrative personnel acting in a policy-making or administrative capacity shall not be subject to civil liability resulting from any act or failure to act in […]
§ 17-12-11. Mental Health Advocacy Division; Duties, Responsibilities, and Management
The mental health advocacy division shall represent in any court in this state indigent persons found not guilty by reason of insanity at the time of the crime or found mentally incompetent to stand trial and shall be the successor to the office of mental health advocacy created by Article 4 of this chapter as […]
§ 17-12-12. Georgia Capital Defender Division; Duties, Responsibilities, and Management
The Georgia capital defender division shall represent all indigent persons charged with a capital felony for which the death penalty is being sought in any court in this state and shall be the successor to the Office of the Georgia Capital Defender created by Article 6 of this chapter as it existed on June 30, […]
§ 17-12-12.1. Payment of Attorney in Event of Conflict of Interest in Capital Cases; Number of Attorneys Appointed; County Governing Authority’s Financial Responsibility; Expenses
If there is a conflict of interest such that the Georgia capital defender division is unable to defend any indigent person accused of a capital felony for which the death penalty is being sought, the director shall determine and appoint counsel to represent the defendant. The director shall establish the contractual agreement with the defendant’s […]
§ 17-12-1. Short Title; Georgia Public Defender Council; Responsibilities
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Georgia Indigent Defense Act of 2003.” The Georgia Public Defender Council shall be an independent agency within the executive branch of state government. The council shall be responsible for assuring that adequate and effective legal representation is provided, independently of political considerations or private […]
§ 17-12-2. Definitions
As used in this chapter, the term: “Assistant public defender” means an attorney who is employed by any circuit public defender. “Circuit public defender” means the head of a public defender office providing indigent defense representation within any given judicial circuit of this state. “Circuit public defender office” means the office of any of the […]