HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 26-005 Adopting Indigent Defense StandardsCITY OF SPOKANE VALLEY
SPOKANE COUNTY, WASHINGTON
RESOLUTION NO.26-005
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF SPOKANE VALLEY, SPOKANE COUNTY,
WASHINGTON, ADOPTING NEW STANDARDS FOR THE DELIVERY OF
PUBLIC DEFENSE SERVICES PURSUANT TO RCW 10.101.030, AND OTHER
MATTERS RELATING THERETO.
WHEREAS, RCW 10.101.030 requires that the City adopt standards for the delivery of public
defense services to meet the needs of public defense service recipients for sufficient, accessible, high quality
defense services; and
WHEREAS, on July 14, 2015, City Council adopted Resolution 15-006 providing for standards of
indigent defense services; and
WHEREAS, on June 9, 2025, the Washington Supreme Court issued Order No. 25700-A-1644 (the
"Order"), which revised the public defender caseload standards and allows a phased compliance over a ten-
year period; and
WHEREAS, specifically, the Order reduces the maximum misdemeanor cases that a public
defender can be assigned from 300 to 120, but allows the reduction to be phased in at 18 less cases per year
over ten years; and
WHEREAS, the Washington Supreme Court, in the Order, declined to adopt the Washington State
Bar Association's guidelines for case counting and case weighting and recognized that the structure and
delivery of indigent defense services may vary by jurisdiction based on local conditions; and
WHEREAS, the City is responsible for providing defense counsel for indigent defendants charged
with misdemeanors and gross misdemeanors; and
WHEREAS, the City currently contracts with Spokane County for the provision of indigent defense
through the Interlocal Agreement for Public Defender Services in the City of Spokane Valley, executed
March 24, 2006; and
WHEREAS, in compliance with the Order, Spokane County revised its indigent defense standards
via Resolution 25-0687, which adopted case weighting measures, annual reviews of those measures, and
the required annual reduction of allowable cases by 10%; and
WHEREAS, the City desires to adopt standards that are consistent with Spokane County's for the
provision of indigent defense in misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor cases.
NOW THEREFORE, be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Spokane Valley, Spokane
County, Washington as follows:
Section 1: The City Council hereby adopts by reference, to the extent required by law and to the
degree applicable to the City's responsibility in providing public defender services, chapter 1.17A of the
Spokane County Code ("SCC"), Standards for the Delivery of Public Defender Services, as the City's
official standards for the provision of public defender services. To the extent required by law and as
Resolution No. 26-005 Adopting Indigent Defense Standards
applicable to the City, chapter 1.17A SCC as currently or subsequently amended is hereby incorporated
herein by this reference.
Section 2: Repeal of Resolution 15-006. This Resolution 26-005 supersedes and replaces
Resolution 15-006, which is hereby repealed.
Section 3: Effective Date. This Resolution shall be effective upon adoption.
Adopted this 21st day of April, 2026.
City of S ne Val�ey-
Laura Padden, Mayor
Marci P erson, City Clerk
Approved as to Form:
Off e of the ity Attorney
Resolution No. 26-005 Adopting Indigent Defense Standards