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Edmonds public defenders report rising shoplifting cases, expand Spanish-language staffing and office hours
Summary
The Edmonds Public Defender's Office reported a modest caseload increase in 2024, added a third attorney to reduce individual caseloads, expanded Spanish-language staff to 12 and proposed community court and local office hours to better serve clients.
The Edmonds Public Defender's Office presented its 2024 annual report to the Edmonds City Council on March 4, outlining caseload trends, staffing changes and outreach efforts.
The report said the office added a third attorney in 2024, which reduced open cases per lawyer from about 100 to between 53 and 67, and described continuing training and retention efforts for the defender team.
Public defender (presenter) said the top charge in 2024 was theft, followed by criminal trespass and, after a statutory change, misdemeanor drug possession. The presenter characterized the median theft value as about $40 and said most theft cases came from a few retailers: “53% of those thefts... are generated from your Safeway, and then 21% at the WinCo ... and…
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