Stephens Co. Commission Agrees to Fund Additional Public Defender

Stephens County will contribute additional funding to the Mountain Judicial Circuit Public Defender’s office to add a new attorney’s position.

On Tuesday, Stephens County Commissioners voted unanimously to provide the funding for the position starting in January.

Chief Public Defender Drew Powell appeared before Stephens County Commissioners to make the request on Tuesday.

He said that if his office does not receive more help, he does not know what they are going to do.

“Basically, we do not believe that we can provide constitutionally adequate defense for our clients at this time,” said Powell.

Powell said that the attorneys that the office currently has are overworked and have case loads that are just too large.

He said all of this circuit’s public defenders are carrying well over the American Bar Association recommendation of 150 felony cases per year.

According to Powell, there are 428 open felony cases in Habersham County, 196 in Rabun County, 342 in Stephens County, and 127 open felony cases that he is personally handling.

Also, Powell said that his office has fewer attorneys than a number of surrounding circuits.

He said that workload is causing problems for the attorneys in his office.

“I have attorneys threatening to resign because they do not believe they can do anything for their clients,” said Powell.

Powell went on to say that this is the first new attorney’s position he has requested in 11 years.

“I have held back because of economic circumstances,” said Powell.

He said the new position would start January 2 and would work mainly in Stephens and Habersham counties.

According to Powell, Stephens County would need to contribute $13,502.18 based on the county’s percentage of population in the three-county Mountain Judicial Circuit.

He said that funding would cover the rest of the fiscal year and he would then request the position be continued in the next fiscal year, though he says state funding for the position may be a possibility.

In voting to approve Powell’s request, multiple commissioners said that Powell definitely needs the help.