Public defender warns Liberty County may stop covering partner counties' state courts without more funding

Joshua Brockington, circuit public defender for the Atlanta Judicial Circuit, told commissioners the public defender office handles cases from arrest through appeals and provides investigative and post-trial services. "We are the last line of defense for the general public," Brockington said, explaining the office's workload and responsibilities.

Brockington outlined county-by-county caseloads and said recent data show Liberty County carrying a heavy share of state court work. He said the formula used to apportion state court costs among counties is outdated and can force Liberty County to subsidize other counties: "...Liberty County is paying pretty much the entire expense for state court," he said, describing the way misdemeanor case counts drive contributions.

The public defender also described administrative cost pressures that are not accounted for in the state court agreement — for example, conflict counsel the office must retain when it cannot ethically represent co-defendants (costs of about $500–$1,200 per case) and staff time spent at public windows and jail lists. Brockington said he will spend the next 12 months negotiating with partner counties and exploring contracting alternatives; he said he may notify Brian County that the circuit can no longer provide state court coverage without fairer compensation.

Commissioners emphasized that Liberty County should not be required to subsidize other counties and asked staff to work with the public defender on a plan. The board approved the departmental budget presentations that included the public defender request; the approval was recorded by voice/show-of-hands during the meeting.