Sample Calculators for Measuring Caseloads Pursuant to the Supreme Court's Caseload Limits
Calculating compliance with the WA Supreme Court's caseload limits can be mathematically challenging when attorneys represent clients on a mixture of case types, or regularly spend time on attorney-of-the-day calendars. OPD has developed these Excel calculators as an optional tool for measuring caseloads.
Select the calculator which is right for you:
- Mixed Criminal/Juvenile Caseloads [XLSX]
- Mixed Caseloads including Dependencies [XLSX]
- Misdemeanor Cases and Attorney-of-the-Day Calendar Time [XLSX]
- Misdemeanor Case Weights and Attorney-of-the-Day Calendar Time [XLSX]
Here are some practical tips for using the calculators:
- Enter your data in the white-colored cells. The cells that are shaded in gray, blue or yellow are locked. The mathematical formulas are “behind the scenes,” so no math is necessary on your part.
- At the top on line three, enter the percentage of your work time each month that is dedicated to public defense. For example, if you are a full-time defender, leave it at 100%. If half of your time is in public defense, change these cells to 50.
- Enter the number of new case assignments in each case type for each month.
- Some calculators include “Calendar Hours.” This line converts hours worked into case equivalents. Use this feature if an attorney provides additional defense work outside of traditional case representation, such as staffing arraignment or probation calendars.
If you would like an excel calculator for a different grouping of case types than provided in these examples, please contact an OPD Public Defense Improvement Manager at opd@opd.wa.gov.
Questions:
Email: opd@opd.wa.gov
Phone: 360-586-3164 ext. 147