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Forum focuses on court rule changes: public-defender caseloads, bail reform and campaign donations
Summary
Candidates debated recent and proposed court rules: 2025 public-defender caseload limits and a 10-year phase-in, proposed bail-rule changes with 900 public comments, and contested views on campaign donations and recusal.
Panelists spent a significant portion of the forum on several rulemaking and administrative topics that carry fiscal and procedural consequences for counties and litigants.
On public defense, speakers described the 2025 order lowering caseload caps for public defenders. Justice Stevens said the court relied on RAND and bar-association data and adopted a 10-year implementation period to allow counties to adapt; several panelists warned of disproportionate burdens on rural local governments and urged more transitional funding and practical flexibility.
Merchant described his public-defender experience in King County and proposed procedural innovations, including a no-contest plea option for certain low-level offenses that he said could reduce docket pressure while protecting defendants’ rights.
On bail reform, the forum heard that the rules committee proposed moving away from cash bail in some respects. Justice Stevens said the court has received more than 900 comments and will hold public hearings before acting; she characterized release on personal recognizance as the default in court rule language, with bail as the exception for flight risk or public-safety concerns.
On campaign donations, candidates acknowledged the tension between fundraising realities and the appearance of impartiality. Merchant called the current system "wrong" and said judicial elections' cost make true independence difficult; other candidates urged disclosure and individualized recusal decisions rather than automatic disqualification for donors.
The exchange signaled continued scrutiny of how the Washington Supreme Court balances institutional rulemaking, fiscal impacts on counties, and transparency in judicial elections.
