Supporting Families · Week 4 · Published 22 September
Georgia’s First Offender Act lets eligible people who complete their sentence move forward without a conviction on their record. What the law does, who may qualify, and what changed on July 1, 2026.
HOW CAN WE HELP?
Find out if you qualify and connect with your local public defender office.
Find Your Public DefenderUnderstand what happens next and how you can support them through the process.
What to ExpectGet answers about your rights, your attorney, and your case progress.
FAQs & Your RightsFOR FAMILIES
Attorneys cannot discuss case details with family members without their client's explicit consent. This protects your loved one.
You can still help. Ask the attorney what they need from you rather than about the case itself — employment history, school and medical records, military service, and the names of people who knew your loved one before the arrest. None of that is confidential, and all of it is useful.
Your presence in court shows support and can positively impact the case. Dress appropriately and arrive on time.
Arrive early, dress as you would for something that matters, and expect to wait — a judge may hear dozens of cases in one session. Don’t leave the courthouse until the attorney tells you it’s fine to go, and write the next court date down before you do.
Help collect employment records, character references, or proof of residence that may assist the defense.
Keep everything in one envelope: court notices, bond paperwork, citations, anything from the court or the prosecutor, and any paperwork showing future dates. Bring it even if you don’t know what it means — sorting that out is the attorney’s job, not yours.
Regular communication provides emotional support during a difficult time. Your presence matters.
Make sure the office always has a working phone number and address, and tell them straight away if either changes. Missed messages are one of the most common causes of delay. Check voicemail, open the post, and return calls.
READING SERIES
Four short guides for the people who stand beside someone facing charges. Written to be read in order, but each one stands on its own.
Where they are, how eligibility is decided, what attorney–client confidentiality does and does not allow, and the ways families genuinely help.
How juvenile court differs from adult court, your child’s right to counsel, and why parents remain the single most important influence.
Housing, work, transport and probation — what to plan for before release, and the support that removes the barriers.
Who may qualify, what completing a sentence changes, and what the 2026 amendments mean for families.
New installments appear in the newsroom as they publish.