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Public defender office warns new standards and rising filings strain Spokane capacity
Summary
City staff and the chief public defender told the committee that new state caseload standards and a surge in municipal filings have forced notices of unavailability in over 160 cases so far this year, and staff outlined recruitment, intern and classification changes planned to alleviate pressure.
City staff and the Public Defender's Office told the Public Safety & Community Health Committee that Spokane is confronting a shortfall in legal defense capacity driven by a recent reduction in recommended caseload standards and a jump in municipal court filings.
“Starting in 2026 we have to drop 10 percent [of caseloads] each year,” Nick Anthos, the chief public defender, told the committee, describing mandatory standards that move per‑attorney caseload thresholds downward from historical levels and noting that a national…
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