Georgia Prisoners’ Speak
Stakeholder Brief | March 2026
VISION 2027
Post-Conviction Justice Reform for the State of Georgia
A Once-in-a-Generation Opportunity
On March 3, 2026, seven of nine Georgia Supreme Court justices acknowledged that the state’s post-conviction system is fundamentally broken. Chief Justice Nels Peterson’s concurrence went further — declaring that the current system is one “no rational person would have chosen” and calling directly on the Georgia General Assembly to fix it.
This is not an advocacy talking point. It is the position of Georgia’s highest court. For the first time, reformers have the explicit backing of the judiciary — and a political window to act.
The Political Window
2026 is an election year. Georgia will elect a new Governor, Lt. Governor, and all 180 House members. Every candidate must take a position.
Governor Kemp is term-limited. A new administration taking office in January 2027 creates a rare opening for bold reform.
The 2027 legislative session is our target. Bills must be filed and passed between mid-January and late February 2027. The clock is already running.
The Georgia Post-Conviction Justice Act
The Sanders opinion focused on the broken IAC process, but the problems run deeper. GPS has identified six critical failures in Georgia’s post-conviction system that demand legislative action:
Priority Reforms
1. Habeas Corpus Repeal
Full repeal of the 4-year habeas deadline. Habeas corpus has existed without a time limit for over 600 years. If you are innocent, you should be able to prove it regardless of when you discover the evidence.
2. Constitutional Violations
Any conviction obtained through a documented constitutional violation — Brady violations, coerced confessions, racial discrimination in jury selection — is subject to reversal, regardless of procedural time bars.
3. IAC Process Reform
Codify the reforms Chief Justice Peterson called for in Sanders v. State: move ineffective-assistance-of-counsel claims to habeas proceedings, end conflict-of-interest barriers, and establish a right to appointed counsel.
Additional Reforms
4. Right to Legal Access — Meaningful law library access, post-conviction counsel, and the right to obtain case files.
5. Conviction Integrity — Statewide conviction integrity units. Georgia currently covers only 3 of 159 counties.
6. Plea Bargain Reform — End coercive plea practices. Require evidence disclosure before pleas and limit trial penalties.
Why This Matters
A conservative 5% wrongful conviction rate puts 2,500 innocent people in Georgia’s prisons. But Georgia’s broken post-conviction system likely pushes that number much higher — closer to the 10% range, approaching 5,000. Virginia estimated its wrongful conviction rate at 11.6%.
The average exoneration takes 14 years — but Georgia gives prisoners only 4 years to challenge their conviction.
Georgia taxpayers spend tens of millions of dollars per year incarcerating people who should not be in prison — at $75,000 per prisoner annually.
Only 3 of Georgia’s 159 counties have any mechanism to review potentially wrongful convictions.
The GPS Campaign
GPS is executing a year-long campaign to build the political will, public understanding, and legislative framework needed to pass the Georgia Post-Conviction Justice Act in the 2027 session. Our approach has four pillars:
Model Legislation
Actual bill text, drafted in Georgia General Assembly format, reviewed by legal experts and allied organizations, ready for sponsors to file.
Investigative Journalism
A 10-article series — “No Way Out” — building the public case for reform through deep reporting on Georgia’s post-conviction failures. Ten articles documenting ten doors sealed shut, published between spring 2026 and January 2027.
Grassroots Advocacy
The GPS Action Network: a sustained constituent advocacy program connecting Georgians directly with their state legislators on these issues.
Coalition Building
Shared ownership of the reform agenda with Georgia’s leading justice organizations — each bringing unique strengths to a common goal.
Now Available
No Way Out: A 10-Part Investigative Series
Each article documents a door that was sealed, who sealed it, who is trapped behind it, and how to reopen it. The full series plan — all ten articles, four phases, timed to the 2027 legislative session.
What We’re Asking
GPS is building a coalition of organizations that share the goal of fixing Georgia’s post-conviction system. We are not asking anyone to sign on to our agenda — we are inviting partners to help shape a shared one. The ask is straightforward:
- Meet with us to review our research and the proposed reform package.
- Review and improve our model legislation drafts with your expertise.
- Co-own the final package — organizations that contribute become co-sponsors.
- Coordinate messaging, share intelligence, and divide labor for maximum impact.
“Chief Justice Peterson gave us the opening. The 2027 session is the window. The question for every leader in Georgia is: will you fix it, or will you leave it broken?”
Contact: gps.press | info@gps.press
Georgia Prisoners’ Speak