Michael Syrop was sworn in as Georgia Public Defender Council's Paulding Circuit Defender on April 7, 2025, in Dallas, GA. Paulding Superior Court Judge Dean C. Bucci administered the oath, praising Syrop's "personally involved" participation in accountability courts.
"He doesn't just provide someone. He comes and sits to the table and participates."
-- Judge Dean C. Bucci
Accountability courts rehabilitate defendants through structured programs combining treatment, counseling, and supervision to reduce recidivism and enhance public safety. Syrop expressed honor at representing GPDC, describing his staff as "some of the best attorneys and support staff that I could ever ask" and comparing them to the 1992 Olympic basketball Dream Team.
GPDC Chief Legal Officer Natalie Glaser referenced the delay in Syrop's swearing-in, invoking Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s principle that "justice delayed is justice denied," noting Syrop has worked for the circuit for two and a half years prior to the ceremony.
Syrop earned selection to the 2024-2025 Georgia Public Defender Leadership Academy--one of only 20 attorneys chosen. His background includes a Duke University undergraduate degree and Washington University law degree. He practiced criminal defense in Cobb County beginning in 1991 and established his own firm in 1995, handling cases ranging from misdemeanors to capital cases statewide.
Syrop has been married to attorney Nancy Howard Syrop since 1990 and has two adult daughters. He enjoys homebrewing, pickleball, and walks with his rescue dogs.