---
title: O.C.G.A. § 17-12-80. Verification of indigency required; procedure; timing of notification of eligibility.
collection: code
id: 17-12-80
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 17-12-80 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-12-80
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-12-80.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-12-80/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=1337
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/17-12-52.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 / VERIFICATION OF INDIGENCY
---

# O.C.G.A. § 17-12-80. Verification of indigency required; procedure; timing of notification of eligibility.

(a) In order to retain funding as provided in Code Sections 15-21-74 and 15-21A-6, a governing authority shall verify that the applicant qualifies as an indigent person. The governing authority shall establish the methodology for verification and fund such process. The governing authority shall produce auditable information to the council to substantiate its verification process as requested by the council or its director.

(b) The council shall establish policies to determine approval of an indigent person verification system and shall annually provide written notification to the Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority as to whether or not a governing authority has an approved indigent person verification system.

(c) The governing authority shall advise the circuit public defender, if applicable, or the administrator of the indigent defense system for the jurisdiction of the name of each person who has applied for legal services and provide identifying information for those persons who are financially eligible for services within one business day of such person’s application for services.

## History

Code 1981, § 17-12-80, enacted by Ga. L. 2008, p. 846, § 41/HB 1245; Ga. L. 2011, p. 91, § 15/HB 238; Ga. L. 2015, p. 519, § 7-13/HB 328.