---
title: O.C.G.A. § 17-12-40. Definitions.
collection: code
id: 17-12-40
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 17-12-40 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-12-40
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-12-40.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-12-40/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=1332
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
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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 / ASSISTANCE BY THIRD-YEAR LAW STUDENTS OR STAFF INSTRUCTORS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 17-12-40. Definitions.

As used in this article, the term:

(1) ‘‘Circuit public defender’’ means any circuit public defender of this state or assistants of such officer.

(2) ‘‘Criminal proceeding’’ means any investigation, trial, juvenile proceeding, adjudicatory hearing, or other legal proceeding by which a person’s liability for a crime is investigated or determined, commencing with the investigation and including the final disposition of the case.

(3) ‘‘Law school’’ means a law school within or outside this state which is approved by the American Bar Association or which is authorized to operate under Code Section 20-3-250.8.

(4) ‘‘Staff instructor’’ means a full-time professional staff instructor of a law school in this state who has been admitted to the bar of another state but who has not yet been admitted to the bar of this state.

(5) ‘‘Third-year law student’’ means a student regularly enrolled and in good standing in a law school within or outside this state who has satisfactorily completed at least two-thirds of the requirements for the first professional degree in law (J.D. or its equivalent) in not less than four semesters or six quarters of residence.

## History

Code 1981, § 17-12-40, enacted by Ga. L. 2003, p. 191, § 1.