Washington Supreme Court hearing draws sharply divided testimony on proposed public-defense caseload standards

The Washington Supreme Court convened in Thurston County to gather public comment on proposed revisions to the court's indigent defense standards, including lower weighted caseload limits for public defenders, revised qualification and certification rules, and minimum staffing supports for both attorneys and non-attorney staff. The hearing included presentations by the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA), the Office of Public Defense (OPD), state and local associations, prosecutors, and hundreds of individual commenters.

The WSBA's president, Sunitha Angelvel, told the court the Bar adopted updated standards after more than two years of study and stakeholder engagement intended to ensure public defenders can meet constitutional and ethical obligations. "The WISBA board takes seriously the constitutional obligation to provide adequate legal counsel to anyone facing a criminal charge," Angelvel said. WSBA materials and presenters relied on the RAND National Workload Study and on a Washington-specific review by the Bar's Council on Public Defense to recommend a weighted-case model rather than a flat-hour assumption for all felonies.

Supporters of the changes — including public defenders and OPD Director Larry Jefferson — framed the proposals as necessary to stop a cycle…