Under this Code section, a court was empowered to order a county to pay for legal services for an indigent defendant in a capital felony case. In re Straughan Straughan, 260 Ga. 821, 822 ( 400 SE2d 906) (1991); Bibb County v. Hancock, 211 Ga. 429 ( 86 SE2d 511) (1955). However, this Code section was only effective until January 1, 2005, following establishment of the Georgia Public Defender Standards Council. See OCGA §§ 17-12-1; 17-12-12.

Under this Code section, a court was empowered to order a county to pay for legal services for an indigent defendant in a capital felony case. In re Straughan Straughan, 260 Ga. 821, 822 ( 400 SE2d 906) (1991); Bibb County v. Hancock, 211 Ga. 429 ( 86 SE2d 511) (1955). However, this Code section was only effective until January 1, 2005, following establishment of the Georgia Public Defender Standards Council. See OCGA §§ 17-12-1; 17-12-12.

This power includes the ability to appoint counsel to represent indigent defendants, as was statutorily recognized in 1979 by the enactment of the Georgia Indigent Defense Act, OCGA §§ 17-12-30; 17-12-44.In re Straughan Straughan, 260 Ga. 821, 822, n. 2 ( 400 S.E.2d 906) (1991). We also find no merit to Sacandy's various arguments that the superior court judges' appointment of counsel under the Program involves those judges in violation of the doctrine of separation of powers.