Civil Right to Representation - Mock Trials in Georgia Stir Discussion
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
- Organization: State Bar of Georgia Pro Bono Project
The Supreme Court of Georgia's Equal Justice Commission and its Committee on Civil Justice have created a CLE seminar to explore whether a civil right to counsel is supported by the U.S. Constitution. This seminar was originally presented on June 15, 2007 during the State Bar of Georgia's Annual Meeting held in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
Five of Georgia's Supreme Court Justices, including the Chief Justice, participated in the June 2007 program, questioning the parties' representatives and excusing themselves before any program discussion after the hearing and without rendering any opinion.
The "Civil Gideon" mock trial program has been repeated several times, including presentations at the University of Georgia School of Law and the Walter F. George School of Law at Macon's Mercer University.
