(Forsyth County, GA) A new Forsyth County indigent defense director has been named after former director Connie Brooker retired last December.
Melissa Banker, who was given the new position in November 2022, has over 20 years of attorney experience in the county. She worked for over a year as the Accountability Court defense attorney in collaboration with the CARE Program, Drug Court and DUI Court.
The Indigent Defense Court provides defense attorneys to criminal defendants who meet the needed criteria or as ordered by the judiciary.
“The County will benefit greatly from the wealth of experience and knowledge Banker brings to the role. I am confident she will serve our citizens in an exemplary manner,” said Chief Financial Officer Marc Turk.
Banker has been a resident of Forsyth County for over 40 years, graduating from Forsyth Central High School in 1994. She was the regional coordinator of the Georgia High School Mock Trial for the City of Cumming from 2010 to 2016 and president of the county Criminal Defense Bar for all of 2020.
She holds a Juris Doctor degree from Emory University School of Law and a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Georgia State University.
“My goal as Indigent Defense Director is to help give a voice to the voiceless by providing quality legal representation through attorney appointment and knowledge of defendants’ needs and attorneys’ skills,” said Banker.
If you have a news tip in Forsyth County, contact Justine Lookenott at justine.lookenott@newsbreak.com.
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