Public Defense: What We Do

The Office of Public Defense strives to meet three main mandates:

Perform indigency screening to ensure Constitutional as well as cost-effective assignment of counsel at public expense:

• Interviewers use state standards and federal guidelines
• Interviewers conduct screenings in-office, at the County Jail and at the four divisions of the County District Court – in Arlington, Monroe, Everett and Lynnwood
• Once screened, cases for indigent defendants are referred to the Public Defender Association or conflict counsel for representation

Perform pre-trial interviews and report to judges verified information for decisions on whether to hold defendants in the county jail prior to their trial:

• Interviews are conducted at the jail - Monday through Saturday
• Verified information includes ties to community and criminal history

Represent defendants on specialized calendars in order to provide constitutional protections while containing costs, including:

• Involuntary mental health commitments
• Superior Court probation violations
• Felonies expedited as gross misdemeanors
• In-custody hearing coverage