Constitutional Law
Judge Orders Ga. to Pay for Inmates' Appellate Lawyers, OKs Class Action
A Georgia judge has ordered the state to provide appellate lawyers within 30 days for all indigent prison inmates who need them.
Fulton Superior Court Judge Jerry Baxter also granted class action status to a lawsuit filed last year by inmates, some of whom have been waiting years for representation to pursue post-trial matters, reports the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Because of budget constraints, the Georgia Public Defender Council can’t handle all of the work that needs to be done.
Lawyers may be needed before the end of the year for as many as 400 inmates affected by the suit, the newspaper says.
