The 2023 Washington State Legislature appropriated funding to us to help counties and cities provide public defense services for individuals charged under the offenses created in Second Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill (2E2SSB) 5536. Our Simple Possession Advocacy and Representation (SPAR) Program administers and disburses these funds.
State OPD is accepting applications for funding in state fiscal year 2025 (July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025). The deadline for submitting a completed application is May 31, 2024. A cover memo on the application lists frequently asked questions about this funding program.
The legislature limited these funds to counties with a population of 500,000 or less, or to cities with a population of 200,000 or less. Official population is the annual Population Estimate for cities/counties published each April by OFM.
The SPAR Program also has an Attorney Trainer on staff to support training for public defenders across the state.
For questions, please contact program staff:
- Grace O'Connor, Supervising Attorney, SPAR Program, 360-586-3164, x.151
- Nicole Dodge, Program Analyst, SPAR Program, 360-586-3164, x. 114
- Travis Stearns, Attorney Trainer, SPAR Program, 360-586-3164, x. 184
- You can also email us at spar@opd.wa.gov
Are you a public defender or criminal legal professional in Washington State?
You might be interested in our Practitioner's Page, which contains newsletters, training materials, and more. Fill out the form below to request access to the page.