§ 10-76. Findings of general assembly; statement of article purpose.

The general assembly finds that counties in this state with large populations have a large number of poor people who cannot afford legal services. The general assembly finds that without the assistance of an attorney poor people have great difficulty in civil matters in the court systems in such counties and that trained legal assistance for these people is essential for the judicial system to function adequately and fairly. The general assembly finds that the programs currently in effect to provide legal services in civil matters to poor people do not have the resources to meet the needs of all poor people and, therefore, that it is necessary to encourage and develop additional legal resources through the use of volunteer programs to help meet these needs. Because under the Code of Ethics of the legal profession volunteer legal representation of poor people is a duty of all lawyers, the general assembly finds that it is in the public interest for the general assembly to enact legislation to provide a means to develop, operate, and administer programs of volunteer legal services for poor people in such counties.

(1979 Ga. Laws (Act No. 58), page 3131, § 1)