More than $15,000 that Superior Court Judge Robert “Mack” Crawford of the Griffin Judicial Circuit claimed from the Pike County court registry last year were legal fees for work he did in private practice in 2002, according to his defense counsel.

Former Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes, who is representing Crawford, said the funds were promised to his client by Dan Mike Clark and Bobbie Whalen as compensation for work done more than 15 years ago. Crawford, a former Georgia legislator and onetime head of the state Public Defender Standards Council, litigated their case without any initial retainer fee, Barnes said.