WA Supreme Court hears arguments on public defense caseload standards
For nearly three hours Wednesday, the Washington Supreme Court heard from people who support and oppose a state bar association proposal to lower maximum caseloads for public defenders.
The bar association’s goal is to update what it considers outdated standards and give public defenders more time per case.
But many city and county governments don’t think the proposal is a good idea. They argue it would require hiring more attorneys and support staff to adequately handle cases, and that would take money they don’t have. A lawsuit that sought more state money for public defense was dismissed in September…