Law and Justice Committee forwards Adrian Levitt’s nomination to King County Public Defense Advisory Board

The King County Council Law and Justice Committee voted to forward a recommendation supporting Adrian Levitt’s appointment to the county’s Public Defense Advisory Board.

The committee, chaired by Jorge Baron, voted 3-0 to give proposed motion 2025-91 a due-pass recommendation, placing the appointment on the council’s May 20 consent agenda for final confirmation. Vice Chair Balducci made the motion. The committee recorded three ayes and zero nos; Councilmember Mosqueda was excused.

Why it matters: The Public Defense Advisory Board (PDAB) reviews and advises the Department of Public Defense (DPD), reviews the DPD budget, and recommends candidates should there be a vacancy in the County Public Defender. Committee members and the nominee emphasized the board’s potential role in shaping caseload standards, staffing and budget oversight as DPD implements new workload standards.

Adrian Levitt, who served 14 years as a public defender in King County and now works as a staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington, told the committee he is especially focused on the caseload standards pending for the department and on staffing and attrition issues. "I'm very familiar with what it's like to work in public defense and really under the caseload conditions," Levitt said, adding he would "show up consistently and do the work" to help the board provide oversight.

Committee members asked Levitt how he would handle tensions within the department and interface with management and union representatives. Levitt described experience in multiple roles at DPD — line attorney, supervisor and in the director's office — and said that experience helps him "find that balance" when serving in oversight roles. He told the committee his time in the office gives him credibility to help navigate difficult decisions and change.

Councilmember Dombowski told Levitt the PDAB was designed in the county charter to support the independence of public defense and to assist with recruitment of a public defender, and emphasized the committee is watching caseload standards and related Supreme Court developments closely.

The staff report referenced by council staff notes the PDAB is created by a 2013 charter amendment and that county code sets the board at 11 members, with five seats appointed by named organizations and the remaining seats representing issues that affect public defense clients (mental health, substance use, veterans, poverty, juvenile justice and immigration). The proposed appointment would fill a partial term expiring June 30, 2026, representing issues that may affect public defense clients.

The committee placed the item on the full council consent agenda for May 20; the nominee does not need to appear at that meeting to be confirmed.

Meeting context and next steps: The committee emphasized the PDAB’s role in reviewing DPD’s proposed budget and in assessing the county’s progress on equity and social justice related to public defense. The nomination will proceed to the full King County Council for final confirmation on May 20.