---
title: O.C.G.A. § 17-12-1. Short title; Georgia Public Defender Council; responsibilities.
collection: code
id: 17-12-1
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 17-12-1 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-12-1
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-12-1.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-12-1/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t17-(v15)-2020-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=8c04ccfe_0#page=1293
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-12.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-11-24.md
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index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: CRIMINAL PROCEDURE / LEGAL DEFENSE FOR INDIGENTS / GEORGIA PUBLIC DEFENDER COUNCIL
---

# O.C.G.A. § 17-12-1. Short title; Georgia Public Defender Council; responsibilities.

(a) This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the ‘‘Georgia Indigent Defense Act of 2003.’’

(b) The Georgia Public Defender Council shall be an independent agency within the executive branch of state government.

(c) The council shall be responsible for assuring that adequate and effective legal representation is provided, independently of political considerations or private interests, to indigent persons who are entitled to representation under this chapter.

## History

Code 1981, § 17-12-1, enacted by Ga. L. 2003, p. 191, § 1; Ga. L. 2007, p. 65, § 1/SB 139; Ga. L. 2015, p. 519, § 7-1/HB 328.

## Cross References

Appointment of counsel for indigent defendants, Uniform Superior Court Rules, Rule 29.

## Law Reviews

For survey article on criminal law, see 59 Mercer L. Rev. 89 (2007). For survey article on legal ethics, see 59 Mercer L. Rev. 253 (2007).

## U.s. Code.

Right to and assignment of counsel, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, Rule 44.