Public Defense Director: 2025 felony caseloads 281; Supreme Court cap forces rethink, requests resolution
Eileen Murphy, Kittitas County Public Defense Director, told commissioners that felony caseloads in 2025 totaled 281 and that a Washington Supreme Court ruling will limit attorneys to 139 cases in 2026; she asked the board for permission to draft a resolution defining office roles and parameters.
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Eileen Murphy, director of the Kittitas County Office of Public Defense, told the Kittitas County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 12 that felony cases in 2025 totaled 281 and that a recent Washington Supreme Court ruling will limit public defense attorneys to carrying 139 cases in 2026. "Felony cases in 2025 numbered 281," Murphy said, adding the number is about 50 fewer than in 2024 and that, when combined with criminal and misdemeanor work, the caseload averages roughly 282 cases per attorney.
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