The Georgia General Assembly has passed legislation (HB 777) to create a state-wide public defender system, including an Office of the Georgia Capital Defender to focus solely on death penalty cases. The new office will assume responsibility for the defense of all death penalty trial and direct appeal cases in Georgia. Additional attorneys and investigators will be added to the public defender system to assume responsibility for the additional cases.

(O.C.G.A. 17-12-127. Michael Mears, Director, Multi-County Public Defender Office, July 23, 2003). See Recent Legislative Developments.