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News and position papers - Public Defense

Learn more about the Department of Public Defense's policies, partnerships, and outreach.
DPD's mission is not only to provide high-quality representation but to also challenge the practices and policies that keep DPD's clients entangled in a harsh and unfair system. DPD's goal is to work with partners to dismantle the systems that oppress our clients. Where traditional systems remain, DPD is partnering with the community, litigating, and drawing upon the expertise of its staff to make those systems less harmful and more restorative.

On this page, you can view  news featuring DPD and DPD's position papers.

DPD in the news

News from previous years

Statements, reports, and position papers

Proposed ordinance to create meaningful consent when police request to search an individual

Read our one-pager about proposed legislation (160KB) that would ensure individuals understand their rights before consenting to a search by requiring law enforcement to connect them to a lawyer.  

Thanks to Blake decision, public defenders are helping hundreds get relief from probation

Public defenders are helping hundreds of people sentenced to community custody due to a previous drug conviction in King County get relief from the onerous oversight of court-ordered community custody obligations. The department is submitting motions to have community custody -- also called probation -- vacated. Many individuals under such obligations have active warrants issued by the state Department of Corrections, warrants that are quashed when the court orders are approved. Contact us if you are on community custody for a drug-related conviction in King County. Email us at DPDBlakeRequest@kingcounty.gov or call 206-296-7662.

Our Nov. 21, 2021 news release about DPD's work vacating community custody requirements (143KB)

Study by UW on racial diversity of jury pools

The Under-Representation of Blacks in the King County Jury Pool (180KB), by Katherine Beckett, University of Washington, May 2016

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