Commissioners direct hybrid public‑defense implementation plan after state caseload order
Thurston County commissioners directed staff to prepare a hybrid implementation plan for public‑defense caseload standards, starting the 2026–27 biennium using a 10‑year projection and ramping later toward a five‑year implementation to meet a state Supreme Court order.
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Thurston County commissioners on Sept. 10 directed county staff to plan a hybrid approach to implement the state Supreme Court’s public‑defense caseload standards: begin the 2026–27 biennium using the 10‑year budget projection, then ramp toward a 5‑year implementation in subsequent years. The board asked staff to model the proposal in the 2026–27 budget and to return with detailed hiring plans and updated costs.
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