Message from the Director

Chairman Emmet Bondurant and Director Michael Mears at a recent Council meeting

In less than three months Georgia will open the doors of 42 Circuit Public Defender Offices! Much work has been done and much work remains ahead of us, however, the energy and excitement about the new public defender system remains high. The Circuit Public Defenders recently completed their fourth training and orientation session and will meet again in November for their fifth training session.

One of the remarkable aspects of the circuit defender training sessions has been the work of the circuit defenders in building a statewide team. I have been so impressed with the circuit defenders' efforts to bring a spirit of togetherness and cooperation to the work of the Council. The success of the statewide program will depend, in large part, upon the building of this "team" of public defenders across the State of Georgia. The Circuit Public Defenders are preparing themselves to lead their assistant public defenders and staff members in one of the most daring adventures the criminal justice system in Georgia has ever seen. The Circuit Public Defenders have committed themselves to being leaders and the training sessions and the team building sessions have proven that they are up to the task.

In her book Generally Speaking , Lieutenant General Claudia J. Kennedy (Ret), discusses great leadership ideas and she quotes football coach Lou Holtz. Coach Holtz (whom football fans will remember as the former coach at Notre Dame and most recently at the University of South Carolina) believes that

There are three critical questions any two people must ask in a relationship, whether it is between parent and child, man and woman, or between leader and the people led:

1. Can we trust each other?
2. Do you care about our mission?
3. Are you committed to excellence?

Georgia can be proud of the Circuit Public Defenders who have been chosen to lead our public defender system across the State. Our training sessions have shown that the circuit public defenders have answered these questions with a resounding "Yes."

October 21, 2004
Michael Mears