Tamika L. Fluker Appointed Circuit Public Defender for the Clayton Judicial Circuit

The Georgia Public Defender Council (GPDC) has appointed Tamika L. Fluker as Circuit Public Defender for the Clayton Judicial Circuit, effective June 16, 2026. Fluker brings more than 20 years of experience in indigent defense and nearly a decade in executive management to the role.

Since 2018, Fluker has served as Chief Assistant Public Defender for the Macon Judicial Circuit Public Defender's Office, where she provided executive oversight of three office locations and approximately 35 employees, including attorneys, investigators, and administrative staff. In that role, she led daily operations, budget development, fiscal management, policy implementation, and staff supervision, keeping the office's representation in line with statewide public defense standards.

Fluker began her career in public defense in 2005 as an Assistant Public Defender in the Major Felonies Division of the Macon Judicial Circuit Public Defender's Office, representing indigent clients in serious felony cases from arrest through trial. She later entered private practice, managing her own law office and handling criminal, civil, domestic, appellate, and conflict cases across multiple jurisdictions.

Throughout her career, Fluker has focused on developing the next generation of public defenders. As Chief Assistant Public Defender, she led a recruitment effort that brought new attorneys into the office and helped launch an in-house training program for junior defenders. She also serves as an instructor for GPDC's Transition Into Law Practice Program, teaching trial advocacy, litigation strategy, and courtroom skills.

Fluker earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Howard University in 2002 and her Juris Doctor from Mercer University School of Law in 2005. She was admitted to the State Bar of Georgia that same year.

As Circuit Public Defender, Fluker will oversee the delivery of indigent defense across the Clayton Judicial Circuit, ensuring that clients receive zealous, client-centered representation at every stage of their cases.

The Georgia Public Defender Council is the state agency responsible for ensuring that indigent defendants in Georgia receive effective legal representation. GPDC supports a statewide network of trial lawyers, investigators, and administrative professionals dedicated to protecting constitutional rights and upholding the highest standards of justice. Approximately 85 percent of criminal defendants in Georgia are represented by public defenders. Learn more at https://www.gapubdef.org.