lawyer

The attorney general is the State's chief legal officers. The AG offers opinions regarding various legal issues that concern the State of Georgia or its agencies; represents the State in capital felony appeals before the Supreme Court of Georgia and civil cases before any court; prosecutes the public corruption cases regarding criminal charges that were filed against any person or business involved in illegal activity with the State of Georgia; conducts any investigation regarding questionable activity concerning any state agency, department, person, or business that has engaged in business with the State of Georgia; initiates any civil or criminal action in accordance with the Georgia Governor's wishes; prepares all contracts and agreements for matters that involve the State of Georgia; and serves as a legal advisor for state agencies, departments, authorities, and the Governor.

The Department of Audits and Accounts (DOAA) exists to provide decision makers with credible management information to promote improvements in accountability and stewardship in state and local government. DOAA provides Audit & Assurance Services, Legislative Services and an Equalized Property Tax Digest.

The Governor is the head of the executive branch of Georgia's government and the Commander-in-Chief of the Georgia National Guard. The governor has the duty to enforce state laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Georgia General Assembly, to convene the legislature. Unlike most states, the governor is expressly precluded from exercising power or authority over pardons.

The Lt. Governor is the second highest elected official in the state and, as such, has a great deal of influence on state policy and the establishment of spending priorities. As the President of the Senate, the Lt. Governor presides over debate in that chamber and oversees the Committee that determines Senate committee membership. He is also responsible for choosing the chairman of each committee. If the Governor is incapacitated temporarily, the Lt. Governor exercises the powers of the Governor. If the Governor dies or otherwise can no longer fulfill his duties, the Lt. Governor serves the Governor's unexpired term.

The secretary of state of the U.S. state of Georgia is an elected official with a wide variety of responsibilities, including supervising elections and maintaining public records.

Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It is known as the Peach State and the Empire State of the South.

The Georgia General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is bicameral, being composed of the Georgia House of Representatives and the Georgia Senate. The Georgia State Constitution vests all legislative power with the General Assembly. Both houses operate with similar powers, except that appropriation bills must originate in the House, while confirmation of the Governor?s appointments rests with the Senate. The concurrence of both bodies is necessary before any bill may become a law.

GPDSC is an independent agency within the judicial branch of the state government of Georgia. The mission of the GPDSC is to ensure, independently of political considerations or private interests, that each client whose cause has been entrusted to a circuit public defender receives zealous, adequate, effective, timely, and ethical legal representation, consistent with the guarantees of the Constitution of the State of Georgia, the Constitution of the United States and the mandates of the Georgia Indigent Defense Act of 2003.

The Supreme Court, the state's highest court, reviews decisions made by other courts in civil and criminal cases. This court alone rules on questions involving the constitutionality of state statutes, all criminal cases involving a sentence of death, and petitions from decisions of the Court of Appeals. No trials are held at the appellate level; oral arguments are heard by the entire court.

Bright from the Start is responsible for meeting the child care and early education needs of Georgia?s children and their families. It administers the nationally recognized Georgia?s Pre-K Program, licenses child care centers and home-based child care, administers federal nutrition programs, and manages voluntary quality enhancement programs. The department also houses the Head Start State Collaboration Office, distributes federal funding to enhance the quality and availability of child care, and works collaboratively with Georgia child care resource and referral agencies and organizations throughout the state to enhance early care and education

The Department of Administrative Services' (DOAS') provides business solutions for state and local governments, suppliers, non-profit organizations, and the general public through their product and service offerings.

The Georgia Department of Agriculture regulates, monitors, or assists with the following areas: grocery stores, convenience stores, food warehouses, bottling plants, food processing plants, pet dealers and breeders, animal health, gasoline quality and pump calibration, antifreeze, weights and measures, marketing of Georgia agricultural products domestically and internationally, pesticides, structural pest control, meat processing plants, seed quality, Vidalia onions, state farmers markets, plant diseases, nurseries and garden centers, fertilizer and lime, potting soil; feed, boll weevil eradication, apiaries, Humane Care for Equines Act, bottled water, and other responsibilities.

The Georgia Department of Banking and Finance is a regulatory and licensing authority for chartered financial institutions in the state. These financial institutions include: Banks; Credit Unions; Trust Companies; Mortgage Brokers; Money Service Businesses; Lenders; Bank Holding Companies; International Banking Organizations; Processors and Originators; and Check cashers. The Department doesn't have regulatory authority over banks that aren't chartered in Georgia.

DCA provides a variety of community development programs to help the state's communities realize their growth and development goals. It offers a variety of economic development incentives and tools designed to help promote growth and job creation throughout the state; helps put all Georgia's citizens in decent housing through a range of programs designed to foster new housing development, homeownership, and improved housing choices; and promotes sustainability, environmental protection, and enhanced quality of life by encouraging local implementation of generally accepted best growth and development practices.

The Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) was created in 1999 to serve as the lead agency for health care planning and purchasing issues in Georgia. The General Assembly created DCH by consolidating four agencies involved in purchasing, planning and regulating health care. In , the Division of Public Health and Emergency Preparedness transitioned to DCH. The department is also designated as the single state agency for Medicaid

The Georgia Department of Corrections protects and serves the public as a professional organization by effectively managing offenders while helping to provide a safe and secure environment for the citizens of Georgia.

The Georgia National Guard consists of the Georgia Army National Guard and the Georgia Air National Guard. (The Georgia State Defense Force is the third military unit of the Georgia Department of Defense, part of the Government of Georgia.) The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal and state missions. The state functions range from limited actions during non-emergency situations to full scale law enforcement of martial law when local law enforcement officials can no longer maintain civil control.

The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) is the state's sales and marketing arm and lead agency for attracting new business investment, encouraging the expansion of existing industry and small businesses, developing new domestic and international markets, attracting tourists to Georgia, and promoting the state as a location for film, video, music and digital entertainment projects, as well as planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development.

The Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) oversees public education throughout the state. It ensures that laws and regulations pertaining to education are followed and that state and federal money appropriated for education is properly allocated to local school systems. GaDOE also provides education-related information to students, parents, teachers, educational staff, government officials, and the media.

DHS is the new structure of the former Georgia Department of Human Resources. Their mission is to provide Georgia with customer-focused human services that promote child and adult protection, child welfare, stronger families and self-sufficiency. DHS includes the Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) the Division of Aging Services (DAS), the Office of Child Support Services (OCSS), the Office of Residential Child Care (RCC) and support offices.

The Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) provides supervision, detention and a wide range of treatment and educational services for youths referred to the Department by the Juvenile Courts, and provides assistance or delinquency prevention services for at-risk youths through collaborative efforts with other public, private and community entities.

The Georgia Department of Labor provides a wide range of services to job seekers and employers. These include administration of Georgia's unemployment insurance, employment service, and vocational rehabilitation programs; provision of workforce information to the public and private sectors; inspection of boilers, pressure vessels, amusement park and carnival rides; and oversight of child labor issues. The Department of Labor is the state agency designated by the governor to lead the state's implementation of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998.

The Department of Natural Resources has statewide responsibilities for the management and conservation of Georgia?s natural and cultural resources. Most of this work is conducted by DNR?s six operating divisions which include: Coastal Resources Division, Environmental Protection Division, Historic Preservation Division, Sustainability Division, Parks, Recreation & Historic Sites Division and Wildlife Resources Division. The Board of Natural Resources, which is appointed by the Governor, oversees rulemaking for the agency.

he Georgia Department of Public Safety was created in 1937 and oversees the day-to-day operation of the Georgia State Patrol (GSP), Capitol Police and the Motor Carrier Compliance Division (MCCD). GSP troopers investigate traffic crashes and enforce traffic and criminal laws on the state's roads. Capitol Police officers prevent and detect criminal acts, and enforce traffic regulations throughout Capitol Hill. MCCD officers conduct safety inspections of commercial motor vehicles and inspect highway shipments of hazardous materials.

The mission of the Georgia Department of Revenue (GDOR) is to provide the best customer service and operational performance of any state taxing authority and the IRS. GDOR is the principal tax collection agency in the state of Georgia. The Department administers tax laws and enforces laws and regulations concerning alcohol and tobacco products in the state.

The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) plans, constructs, maintains and improves the state's road and bridges; provides planning and financial support for other modes of transportation such as mass transit and airports; provides airport and air safety planning; and provides air travel to state departments. The Department also provides administrative support to the State Road and Tollway Authority and the Georgia Rail Passenger Authority.

The Division of State Parks & Historic Sites manages more than 60 properties that preserve the state's environment and history. From the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Colonial Coast, our sites offer an exceptional variety of resources: Mountains & Canyons; Forests, Fields & Marshes; Waterfalls, Lakes, Swamps & Rivers; and Battlefields, Historic Homes & Native American Sites. Through these sites, the Division provides important habitat for plants and animals, gives people a place to enjoy the outdoors, and protects historic places where future generations can learn about the past.

The Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) is the emergency management agency for the U.S. state of Georgia. Its function is preparing for and responding to disasters, and mitigating potential hazard.

The Clearinghouse serves as the implementation arm of the Georgia GIS Coordinating Committe (GISCC) and Georgia?s data/metadata feed to the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI).

The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) is the administrative agency of the U.S. state of Georgia that oversees the development, maintenance and operation of two deepwater seaports and two inland ports in the state. Facilitating global trade through strategic U.S. East Coast gateways, while creating opportunities for 9 million Georgians, the Georgia Ports Authority is a catalyst for international trade and investment.

The mission of the Georgia Governor?s Office of Consumer Affairs (OCA) is to protect consumers and businesses from unlawful, deceptive and unfair practices in the marketplace by enforcement of the laws it administers and through education. OCA enforces Georgia's Fair Business Practices Act, which applies to consumer transactions involving the sale, lease or rental of goods, services or property mainly for personal, family or household purposes.

The office is responsible for protecting the rights of Georgia citizens in their insurance transactions and provides broad-based fire safety education and enforcement of state and federal fire codes.

The Office of Planning and Budget (OPB) was formally enacted to serve the Office of the Governor as a budget and planning unit through the Executive Reorganization Act of 1972. OPB provides valuable, accurate, and timely information to the Governor and other decision-makers as part of a continuing effort to improve the operation of state government. OPB also acts as the principal agent for the development of the state strategic plan.

The Office of State Administration Hearings (OSHA) is an organization enacted by the State of Georgia to conduct the initial or final hearings in disputed cases for other state agencies. The overall goal of OSAH is to successful resolve any quarrels between the state agencies and public in a professional, courteous and timely matter.

The Office of Treasury and Fiscal Services (OTFS) was established to provide efficient and conservative management of the state's cash resources. OTFS is responsible for receipt and disbursement of state funds and lottery funds, management of the state's cash resources, Georgia Fund 1 and the Georgia Extended Asset Pool. The Office serves state and local government agencies.

The State Personnel Administration (SPA), formerly the Georgia Merit System, was established in February, 1943 (SB 17), as the central personnel agency of the state of Georgia, providing human resource (HR) and benefit programs, products and services to all state entities and employees.

The Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), formerly Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education, offers easy access to a number of programs including technical education, customized business and industry training, and adult education classes. DTAE works with local business and education partners to bring a unified system of educational programs that provide a broad range of career opportunities.

The Georgia Board of Regents oversees the University System of Georgia. The University System of Georgia is composed of all state public institutions of higher education. The mission of the Board is to contribute to the educational, cultural, economic, and social advancement of Georgia by providing excellent undergraduate general education and first-rate programs leading to associate, baccalaureate, masters, professional, and doctorate degrees; by pursuing leading-edge basic and applied research, scholarly inquiry, and creative endeavors; and by bringing these intellectual resources, and those of the public libraries, to bear on the economic development of the State and the continuing education of its citizens.

The Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity is the State of Georgia's Civil Rights Department. The Equal Employment Division of the Commission enforces the Georgia Fair Employment Practices Act of 1978, as amended, which makes it unlawful for a state agency to discriminate against any individual on the basis of race, sex, age, disability, national origin, color or retaliation.

The Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC) is a dynamic state agency responsible for providing leadership, service, and education in the protection and conservation of Georgia's forest resources. GFC provide a wide variety of services including fire detection, issuing burn permits, wildfire suppression and prevention services, emergency and incident command system expertise, rural fire department assistance, forest management assistance to landowners and communities, the marketing and utilization of forest resources and nature services, and growing and selling quality tree seedlings for planting.

The mission of the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) is to exercise its authority and influence to ensure that consumers receive safe, reliable and reasonably priced telecommunications, transportation, electric and natural gas services from financially viable and technically competent companies.

The Georgia Real Estate Commission administers the license law that regulates brokers, salespersons, and community association managers. In addition, the Real Estate Commission supplies staff support to the Georgia Real Estate Appraisers Board, but has no authority over the administration of the Georgia Appraisal Act. The Georgia Real Estate Appraisers Board administers the Real Estate Appraiser Licensing and Certification Act. This act regulates the actions of real estate appraisers in their business dealings with the public.

The Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission (GSWCC) was formed to protect, conserve and improve the soil and water resources of the State of Georgia. The Commission's goal is to make Georgia a better place for its citizens through the wise use and protection of basic soil and water resources and to achieve practical water quality goals.

The State Board of Pardons and Paroles is a part of the executive branch of Georgia's government, authorized to grant paroles, pardons, reprieves, remissions, commutations, and to restore civil and political rights.

The Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC) is the state agency that provides financial aid to help Georgia students realize their higher education dreams. In addition to providing loans, scholarships and grants, GSFC provides free financial aid consultation to Georgia residents and is involved in many activities designed to promote financial literacy and default prevention.

The State Ethics Commission enforces the laws under its jurisdiction through discreet investigative proceedings and open hearings. The SEC's powers include assessment of civil penalties and administrative costs, ordering of remedial actions, suspension or revocation of lobbyist registration privileges, and where necessary, reporting of suspected violations of law to the appropriate law enforcement authority.