Public Defense in Washington

The Washington State Office of Public Defense released on Friday 2007 Status Report on Public Defense in Washington State.

While state and local governments achieved significant improvements in public defense programs in 2007, there remain troubling barriers to ensuring the constitutional and statutory guarantees of counsel. In particular, excessively high caseloads, low compensation for contracted attorneys, and inadequate oversight in the administration and delivery of trial level public defense services require ongoing and focused attention, as well as enhanced state funding. These challenges cut across all types of public defense in all areas of the state, but perhaps are most acute for public defense services for children and teenagers facing criminal charges in juvenile courts.

Read the Washington Courts press release here.