Welcome

The Washington State Office of Public Defense (OPD) was established by the Legislature in 1996 as an independent agency of the judicial branch “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. 

The Mission of OPD is to uphold the rights of all people who are facing the loss of liberty or family by providing statewide leadership, administration and support to the multidisciplinary public defense profession. 

Indigent defense services administered by OPD:

• • • • Appellate Program
      • Parents Representation Program
      • RCW 71.09 Civil Commitment
      • Disproportionality Advocacy
      • Extraordinary Criminal Justice Costs
      • Public Defense Improvement Program
        • State v. Blake
        • Indigency Screening
        • Washington Supreme Court's Standards for Indigent Defense
        • Chapter 10.101 RCW Public Defense Improvement Funds
        • Resources for Juvenile Defense Attorneys
        • Criminal Defense Training Academy
        • Youth Access to Counsel Hotline

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

Featured News: 

OPD Advisory Committee

The Office of Public Defense Advisory Committee position of Chair is going to be vacant beginning January 1, 2023. Click the link to view the recruitment posting. Letters of interest and resumes are due to the Office of Public Defense no later than close of business December 2, 2022.

 Healing Both Sides of Harm

Join Collective Justice and Multifaith Coalition for Restorative Justice for a virtual panel discussion December 11, 2022 at 7 p.m. on restorative justice principles and practices.  Event Flyer [PDF]

Free Introductory Training for Managing Public Defense Services

Anyone new to the role of managing public defense services is welcome to join this free introductory online training on December 13, 2022, at 12:00 – 1:30.  Event Flyer [PDF]

Volunteer and Contract Opportunities

• OPD Advisory Committee Chair.  Recruitment Notice [PDF]
• Request for Qualifications in Clark County- Blake Attorneys.  RFQ23006 [PDF]
• Request for Qualifications in Island County- Blake Attorneys. RFQ23007 [PDF]
• Request for Qualifications in Kittitas County- Blake Attorneys. RFQ23008 [PDF]
• Request for Qualifications in Klickitat County- Blake Attorneys.  RFQ23009 [PDF]
• Request for Qualifications in Pacific County- Blake Attorneys.  RFQ23004 [PDF]
• Request for Qualifications in San Juan County- Blake Attorneys.  RFQ23010 [PDF]
• Request for Qualifications in Skagit County- Blake Attorneys.  RFQ23011 [PDF]
• Request for Qualifications in Skamania County- Blake Attorneys.  RFQ23012 [PDF]
• Request for Qualifications in Wahkiakum County- Blake Attorneys.  RFQ23013 [PDF]
• Request for Qualifications in Walla Walla County- Blake Attorneys.  RFQ23014 [PDF]
• Request for Qualifications in Yakima County- Blake Attorneys.  RFQ23015 [PDF]

General Rule 42

The Washington Supreme Court has signed and filed Order 25700-A-1451, which includes new General Rule 42 pertaining to the independence of public defense services.  General Rule 42 will prohibit judges and judicial staff in both superior courts and courts of limited jurisdiction from selecting the attorneys who provide public defense services and the public defense administrators. The rule takes effect on January 1, 2023.  OPD Memo [PDF].

Youth Access to Counsel Hotline

The Youth Access to Counsel (YAC) Line is now live. Law Enforcement officers looking to reach an attorney for consultations required under RCW 13.40.740 can contact 1-877-J-PUB-DEF (1-877-578-2333) or (360) 252-9656.  Attorneys are available 24/7 to provide consultations with youth. 

Protecting the Independence of Public Defenders

Bob Boruchowitz and Larry Jefferson write this month in the Washington State Bar News to safeguard independence of the public defense function. https://wabarnews.org/2022/06/09/protecting-the-independence-of-public-defenders/

COVID-19 and Public Defense

The COVID-19 pandemic have had significant impacts on public defense. The Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) Council on Public Defense promulgated comments [PDF] on public defense caseloads during COVID-19. This is not a new rule, but rather guidance on existing rules given the current challenging environment and changing patterns of criminal and juvenile filings. Additionally, OPD collaborated with WDA and WACLD to conduct a statewide survey of defense attorneys to better understand working conditions during the pandemic. The survey results are summarized in the report Defending Clients in the COVID-19 Environment: Survey Results from Private and Public Defense Counsel [PDF].