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Issaquah council approves one-year contract with Valley Defenders as public defense costs rise
Summary
The council authorized a one-year professional services agreement with Valley Defenders for public defender services after city attorney said rates roughly doubled to comply with Washington Supreme Court standards requiring major caseload reductions over the coming decade.
The City Council authorized the mayor to execute a one-year professional services agreement with Valley Defenders to provide public defender services after a presentation by City Attorney Rachel Bender Turpin.
Bender Turpin said the rates in the contract increase substantially — "about double" over last year — because of recent Washington Supreme Court standards for public defense that require jurisdictions to reduce caseloads…
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