Welcome

The mission of the Washington State Office of Public Defense (OPD) is "to implement the constitutional and statutory guarantees of counsel and to ensure the effective and efficient delivery of indigent defense services funded by the state... ."  RCW 2.70.005.  Established by the Legislature in 1996, OPD is an independent agency of the judicial branch.

OPD administers indigent defense services in the following areas:

• Appellate Program
• Parents Representation Program
• RCW 71.09 Civil Commitment
• Extraordinary Criminal Justice Costs
• Public Defense Improvement Program
  • Indigency Screening
  • Washington Supreme Court's Standards for Indigent Defense
  • Chapter 10.101 RCW Public Defense Improvement Funds
  • Resources for Juvenile Defense Attorneys

OPD cannot provide direct representation of clients, pursuant to RCW 2.70.020.

Featured News:

Extraordinary Criminal Justice Costs Act

State reimbursement of aggravated murder case costs is potentially available to counties, pursuant to RCW 43.330.190. Counties wishing to request reimbursement must send completed Extraordinary Criminal Justice Costs petitions to the Washington State Office of Public Defense (OPD) by December 7, 2018.  More information regarding the 2018 petition process.

OPD Regional CLEs for Criminal and Juvenile Attorneys

Each year OPD provides a series of free continuing legal education trainings to public defense attorneys statewide. This year's CLE series will take place in:

• Mount Vernon on October 25 Session Materials
• Wenatchee on November 8 Session Materials
• Lacey on November 29 Session Materials
• Walla Walla on December 13  Session Materials

Juvenile Defense Training Academy Graduates

In 2017 OPD launched its first annual Juvenile Defense Training Academy – a curriculum designed to train attorneys on legal and practical skills unique to defending juveniles facing criminal charges. Attorneys interested in joining the 2019 Academy should contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Graduates of the Academy are:

2018 Gradutates

• Katherine Hawkins (Asotin Co.)
• Michelle Hull (Yakima Co. and Kittitas Co.)
• Joseph Kuhlman (Spokane Co.)
• Margaret McGinty (King Co.)
• Paula Plumer (Skagit Co.)
• Kristin Timm (Snohomish Co.)
• Randall Hall (King Co.)
• James Womack (King Co.)

2017 Graduates

• Sharonda Amamilo (Thurston Co.)
• Trena Berton (Island Co.)
• Michael Borge (Clark Co.)
• Tirsa Butler (Mason Co.)
• Lawrence Delay (San Juan Co.)
• Krista Elliott (Spokane Co.)
• Patricia Fassett (Cowlitz Co.)
• Susan Goolsbee (Skagit Co.)
• Clarence Henderson (Pierce Co.)
• Amy Jones (Whatcom Co.)
• Amanda Kleespie (Grays Harbor Co.)
• Ashwin Kumar (King Co.)
• Megan Manlove (Spokane Co.)
• Robyn Martin (Thurston Co.)
• Michael Morris (King Co.)
• Alexandra Narvaez (King Co.)
• Kathy Prunty (Skagit Co.)
• Danielle Purcell (Benton Co. and Franklin Co.)

Tools for Implementing the Supreme Court's Standards for Indigent Defense

To assist in implementation of the Supreme Court Standards for Indigent Defense, OPD has developed a series of short web tutorials, an FAQ, sample caseload calculators, and a customizable Model Misdemeanor Case Weighting Policy .   Additional questions or requests for technical assistance can be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..