Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Defense Contracts topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Clallam County renews superior-court conflict-attorney contracts
Summary
The commissioners approved contract amendments for three superior-court conflict attorneys who represent clients when the public defender's office has a conflict, restoring language about higher-severity superior-court cases.
PORT ANGELES, Wash. — The Clallam County Board of County Commissioners approved agreement amendments May 20 with three conflict attorneys who provide representation in Superior Court when the public defender's office has a conflict.
Todd (county staff member) told the board the county contracts with conflict attorneys to provide counsel when the public defender’s office cannot represent all parties in multi-defendant cases. Staff said the contracts were last updated in 2011 and that earlier this year the county created a template that inadvertently omitted a paragraph describing the range of serious superior-court matters; Tuesday’s amendments reinserted that paragraph.
The board approved amendments with Karen Unger, Lane Wolfley and William Payne for Superior Court conflict-attorney services in 2025. The motions were approved by voice vote.
Commissioners did not add new contract terms beyond the reinsertion of the paragraph describing superior-court work; county staff said the amendments correct the template to reflect existing expectations for serious cases including homicide and other high-severity matters.
The agreements were approved without recorded dissent.
