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Billy Joe Nelson, Jr.,
District Attorney

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District Attorney Billy Joe Nelson, Jr. is a native of McIntosh County and the Atlantic Judicial Circuit. Mr. Nelson is a 2002 graduate of Glynn Academy in Brunswick, Georgia. Following high school, Mr. Nelson attended the University of Georgia and graduated Cum Laude, With Honors, in 2006 from UGA’s Terry College of Business (B.B.A. – Real Estate). Following his undergraduate studies, he attended the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University and attained his Juris Doctor degree in 2009. 

He currently serves as the District Attorney for the Atlantic Judicial Circuit (Bryan, Evans, Liberty, Long, McIntosh and Tattnall Counties) (elected November 2022 and took office January 1, 2023). Prior to being elected as District Attorney, Mr. Nelson served as an Assistant District Attorney for the Atlantic Judicial Circuit from 2011 to 2023. He was also appointed by Governor Nathan Deal in 2017 to serve as Solicitor General of Long County and served in that capacity from 2017 to 2022.

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What We Do

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The District Attorney's Office is responsible for prosecuting criminal cases on behalf of the state. Their duties include:

  • Representing the state in felony cases and some misdemeanors.
  • Advising grand juries on legal matters and presenting evidence.
  • Drafting indictments and prosecuting criminal offenses.
  • Attending court sessions and arguing cases before appellate courts.
  • Working with law enforcement to review evidence and issue warrants.
  • Protecting victims' rights and assisting them through the legal process.
  • Handling civil cases where the state has an interest, such as asset forfeitures.
  • Legal Advice for law enforcement by providing guidance on search warrants, arrest warrants, and other legal matters. They work with police to review evidence, issue warrants, and guide investigations.
  • Criminal investigations and other law enforcement functions.
  • Appeals & Habeas Corpus Cases: They handle appeals and post-conviction cases.
  • The District Attorney's Office plays a role in child support enforcement, particularly in cases involving interstate or international parents.
Representing the state in felony cases and some misdemeanors.
Advising grand juries on legal matters and presenting evidence.
Drafting indictments and prosecuting criminal offenses.
Attending court sessions and arguing cases before appellate courts.
Working with law enforcement to review evidence and issue warrants.
Representing the state in felony cases and some misdemeanors.
Representing the state in felony cases and some misdemeanors.

Each judicial circuit in Georgia has its own District Attorney, and their responsibilities are outlined in the Georgia Code § 15-18-6.

2024 CODE OF GEORGIA
‍
Title 15 - COURTS (§§ 15-1-1 — 15-25-3)Chapter 18 - PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS (§§ 15-18-1 — 15-18-99)Article 1 - GENERAL PROVISIONS (§§ 15-18-1 — 15-18-32)Section 15-18-6 - Duties of district attorneyUniversal Citation: GA Code § 15-18-6 (2024)

The duties of the district attorneys within their respective circuits are:
(1) To attend each session of the superior courts unless excused by the judge thereof and to remain until the business of the state is disposed of;
(2) To attend on the grand juries, advise them in relation to matters of law, and swear and examine witnesses before them;
(3) To administer the oaths the laws require to the grand and trial jurors and to the bailiffs or other officers of the court and otherwise to aid the presiding judge in organizing the courts as he may require;
(4) To review every individual case for which probable cause for prosecution exists and to make a prosecutorial decision available under the law based on the facts and circumstances of each individual case under oath of duty as provided in Code Section 15-18-2;
(5) To draw up all indictments or presentments, when requested by the grand jury, and to prosecute all indictable offenses;
(6) To prosecute civil actions to enforce any civil penalty set forth in Code Section 40-6-163 and to prosecute or defend any other civil action in the prosecution or defense of which the state is interested, unless otherwise specially provided for;
(7) To attend before the appellate courts when any criminal case emanating from their respective circuits is tried, to argue the same, and to perform any other duty therein which the interest of the state may require;
(8) To advise law enforcement officers concerning the sufficiency of evidence, warrants, and similar matters relating to the investigation and prosecution of criminal offenses;
(9) To collect all money due the state in the hands of any escheators and to pay it over to the educational fund, if necessary, compelling payment by rule or order of court or other legal means;
(10) To collect all claims of the state which they may be ordered to collect by the state revenue commissioner and to remit the same within 30 days after collection; and on October 1 of every year to report to the state revenue commissioner the condition of the claims in their hands in favor of the state, particularly specifying:
  • (A) The amounts collected and paid, from what sources received and for what purposes, and to whom paid;
  • (B) What claims are unpaid and why;
  • (C) What judgments have been obtained, when, and in what court; and
  • (D) What actions are instituted, in what courts, and their present progress and future prospects;
(11) To ensure disposition information is submitted in accordance with subsection (g) of Code Section 35-3-36 when a final disposition decision is made by a district attorney;
(12) To assist victims and witnesses of crimes through the complexities of the criminal justice system and ensure that the victims of crimes are apprised of the rights afforded them under the law; and
(13) To perform such other duties as are or may be required by law or which necessarily appertain to their office.

Meet Our Team

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Meet Our Team

Frequently Asked Questions

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What does the District Attorney's Office do?

The Office of the District Attorney prosecutes all felony criminal activity occurring in Bryan, Evans, Liberty, Long, McIntosh, and Tattnall counties in the Atlantic Judicial Circuit.

I think a crime has been committed. How do I bring charges?

You must first contact a law enforcement agency in your area to report the crime.  They will direct you on how to proceed.

Can charges be dismissed?

Charges are pursued, amended or dismissed at the discretion of the District Attorney's Office on behalf of the State of Georgia based on the facts and circumstances of a case, not by individual request.  Please call the local office of the District Attorney to schedule an appointment.

What is the difference between a felony and a misdemeanor?

A misdemeanor is a crime that is punishable by a period of up to one year. A felony is a more serious crime that is punishable by a period of imprisonment longer than a year.

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To answer any questions

We’re always available for new cases big or small. Send us an email and we’ll get in touch shortly, or phone between 8:00 am and 7:00 pm Monday to Saturday.

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945 Elma G. Miles Parkway, Hinesville GA 31313

Phone:

(912) 876-4151

Email:

AJCDAinfo@libertycountyga.com