Public Defender's Office

The Macon Judicial Circuit Office of the Public Defender is responsible for ensuring that adequate and effective legal representation is provided, independently of political consideration or private interests, to indigent persons in Peach, Bibb and Crawford Counties who are entitled to representation.

This legal representation is consistent with the guarantees of the Constitution of the State of Georgia, the Constitution of the United States, and the mandates of the Indigent Defense Act of 2003. The Macon Judicial Circuit Office of the Public Defender provides such legal services in a cost efficient manner and conducts representation in such a way that the criminal justice system operates effectively to achieve justice.

A Public Defender is an attorney provided by the Georgia Public Defender Council to represent individuals charged with certain criminal and juvenile offenses who meet the statutory income guidelines and cannot afford to hire a private attorney. Representation is provided at the trial level and on appeal, as authorized. Public Defenders are licensed attorneys who have the same qualifications as other criminal defense attorneys and specialize only in criminal or juvenile delinquency litigation.

To obtain the services of a public defender, a defendant must apply to and be determined as qualified for such services by a local public defender office.

A representative from the local public defender pffoce regularly visits the local jails in the judicial circuits for which it provides representation in order to find out if anyone is in need of public defender attorney services.

Public defender offices within the GPDC system are located in most of the State of Georgia. Public defenders are appointed to clients whose alleged offenses occurred in the judicial circuit in which the public defender’s office sits. The office serving Peach County is located at 201 Second Street, Ste 550 in Macon. The phone number is 478-621-5950 and the fax number is 478-621-5975.

A representative from the local public defender regularly visits the local jails in the judicial circuits for which it provides representation in order to find out if anyone is in need of public defender attorney services.

In addition to criminal cases, the public defender's office handles delinquency cases in juvenile court, probation revocation cases and files criminal appeals for those convicted of crimes.

If you are arrested, the Georgia Public Defender Council warns that is is very important that you do not talk to anyone about your case without your assigned lawyer being present or without him/her giving your permission to do so.