Rep. Jordan Ridley Applauds House Committee Passage of Legislation to Revise Compensation for Private Attorneys Appointed to Act as District Attorney Pro Tempore

ATLANTA - State Representative Jordan Ridley (R-Woodstock) applauds the recent House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee passage of House Bill 35, legislation he sponsored that would revise compensation for private attorneys appointed to act as District Attorney Pro Tempore.

"I am thankful to the members of the House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee for their favorable consideration of HB 35," said Rep. Ridley. "This legislation would be a step toward more timely and fair convictions within our justice system. By guaranteeing that private attorneys are better compensated and encouraged to serve in cases where there are absent or disqualified district attorneys, the state could ensure that prosecutions continue efficiently and without unnecessary delay."

HB 35 would update the compensation for attorneys serving as a substitute for an absent or disqualified district attorney. Under this bill, these private attorneys would receive either $250 an hour for each certified hour worked, or they would receive 90 percent of the monthly salary of the district attorney. The private attorney would also be authorized to utilize the services of private counsel, paralegals or legal clerks, who would receive a monthly compensation of up to $110 per hour for each hour worked. Compensation would be determined and certified by the executive director of the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of the State of Georgia.

The full text of HB 35 may be found here. HB 35 now awaits consideration by the House Rules Committee to be brought to the House floor for a full vote.

Representative Jordan Ridley represents the citizens of District 22, which includes portions of Cherokee and Cobb counties. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2022 and currently serves as the Vice Chairman of the Code Revision Committee and Secretary of the Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications Committee. He also serves on the Game, Fish and Parks and Public Safety and Homeland Security committees.

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