Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Legal Access Lllt topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee hears joint memorial urging reinstatement and expansion of limited‑license legal technician program
Summary
Senate Joint Memorial 8006 asks the Washington Supreme Court to reinstate the limited license legal technician (LLLT) program and expand it to administrative hearings, evictions and debt assistance; witnesses and local officials said the program helps fill legal‑service gaps and could support strained public‑defense and civil‑justice systems.
The Law & Justice Committee held a public hearing on Senate Joint Memorial 8006 Jan. 20, a request that the Washington Supreme Court reinstate and consider expanding the state’s limited license legal technician (LLLT) program. The memorial asks the court to restore the licensing pipeline and to consider extending scope to administrative hearings, eviction and debt cases, and to study use of LLLTs to assist limited‑jurisdiction criminal matters.
Kevin Black, staff to the committee, summarized the program’s history: the LLLT license was created in 2013 as a supervised, regulated paraprofessional license limited to family law; the Supreme Court in 2020 elected to sunset new licensing citing program costs and low pipeline numbers while allowing existing licensees to continue practicing. Witnesses from the Washington State Bar Association said the Bar has no position on the memorial but supplied background on the LLLT regulatory framework and historical survey results: in a 2019 survey, LLLTs reported serving more than 1,500 clients and offering sliding scales and pro bono services.
Local officials and practicing LLLTs urged reinstatement and expansion. Yakima County Commissioner LaDon Linde said rural counties face staffing shortages in public defenders and prosecutors and described cases dismissed early because of capacity limits. Licensed legal technicians testified to everyday demand: several LLLTs described helping low‑ and moderate‑income clients with court forms, courtroom preparation, and unbundled services; one witness said the program’s existing 73 active licensees are insufficient to meet statewide needs and urged reopening the pipeline.
Supporters said reinstating and expanding the program would increase affordable access to legal services in landlord‑tenant, consumer debt, guardianship and other civil areas and could free attorney time for more complex cases. The Washington State Bar Association staff supplied historical licensing, education and discipline context and said a careful regulatory framework exists to protect clients.
