Spokane eyes $940K public defender grant as county faces lawsuit over caseloads
Spokane County is considering a $941,297 public defender grant to meet new caseload limits while facing a lawsuit over its compliance schedule.Summary
Spokane County is evaluating a $941,297 grant from the state to expand its public defender office and meet Washington Supreme Court‑mandated caseload limits that will cut maximum cases per defender to 47 felony and 120 misdemeanor credits by 2036. The grant, awarded for July 2026‑June 2027, can be used for hiring, salaries, and system evaluations but cannot replace existing funding or cover administrative functions. At the same time, the county faces a $30 million general‑fund deficit and a lawsuit from Public Defender Director Colin Charbonneau, who argues that the board’s compliance schedule understates the workload and risks violating the new standards. The lawsuit and the grant decision will shape how Spokane balances its public‑defense budget, addresses the statewide indigent‑defense crisis, and resolves conflicts between the Washington State Bar Association and the Supreme Court.
(Source：The Black Chronicle)