The bar says ethical rules prevent lawyers in the same public defender's office from representing co-defendants, but the council disagrees.
The council's lawyers told the Georgia Supreme Court on Tuesday that a proposal by the State Bar of Georgia could devastate the group's ability to represent Georgia's neediest.
The debate involves "conflict" cases — those with multiple defendants. The bar says ethical rules prevent lawyers in the same public defender's office from representing co-defendants, but the council disagrees.
Council director Travis Sakrison said it could cost as much as $9 million more to set up new offices to take the cases. But supporters of the change say it's needed to fulfill the judicial system's promise of equal justice for all.
