Mission and Duties

Mission and Duties

Mission:

To effectively represent indigent persons in criminal, mental health, juvenile and abuse/neglect cases in Fulton County

Duties:

The Public Defender represents people charged with serious crimes in Fulton County as appointed by the Court.  The Court appoints the Public Defender for persons who cannot afford to hire an attorney and only in cases in which a jail sentence is applicable. The types of crimes involved range from serious traffic offenses and other misdemeanors to murder and other felonies. The Public Defender’s duties include attending line-ups, arguing preliminary motions in court, conducting criminal investigations, interviewing witnesses and clients, preparing cases for trial, negotiating plea arguments, trying cases in front of juries and judges and arguing post-trial motions. The Public Defender occasionally represents defendants in appeals and post-conviction petitions.  The Public Defender performs similar functions by Court appointment in certain non-criminal cases and mental  health commitment hearings.