State bar votes in support of indigent defense reforms

SAVANNAH - The State Bar of Georgia has endorsed an overhaul of the state&#39;s maligned indigent defense system, calling on the Legislature to pay the full expense of providing lawyers for poor people accused of crimes. <br> <br> Georgia currently pays 11 percent of the total bill for indigent defense, leaving counties to come up with the rest. Twenty-five states fully pay for their programs. <br> <br> The bar&#39;s governing body voted Saturday in support of a list of reforms for the system, which critics say provides inconsistent and inferior legal defense. <br> <br> ``We&#39;re a laughingstock when compared to other states,&#39;&#39; Atlanta criminal defense lawyer Dwight Thomas said. ``It was time for us to take a stand.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> The resolution passed by the bar&#39;s board of governors also calls for a statewide public defender system, paying indigent defense attorneys comparably to local prosecutors and providing personnel support including investigators, paralegals and expert witnesses. <br> <br> The bar&#39;s resolution comes ahead of a report by a commission the Georgia Supreme Court appointed to examine the state&#39;s indigent defense system. The commission is expected to present its recommendations later this year for the 2003 General Assembly. <br> <br> The 26,000-member state bar&#39;s endorsement carries significant weight, said House Majority Leader Larry Walker, D-Perry. <br> <br> ``It&#39;s important,&#39;&#39; he told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. ``We need to start building public support for legislation to change the system. There&#39;s no constituency out there for this.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> The board voted down an amendment that would have given local lawyers and Superior Court judges the power to determine their county&#39;s indigent defense system. <br> <br> Opponents said the proposed amendment would be a loophole for judges to keep the status quo. <br> <br> ``The counties that are the problem counties are going to remain the problem counties,&#39;&#39; Carrollton lawyer Gerry Word said. <br> <br> The resolution passed does support a county using its own system, provided a state commission finds the local system to be equal or superior to the statewide public defender office.