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Public Defense
The Department of Public Defense (DPD) provides legal representation to adults and youth who have been charged with a crime and cannot afford an attorney.
We represent:
- Adults and youth charged with crimes who cannot afford their own lawyer
- People facing civil commitment
- Parents who could lose their children in a dependency action
We work with partners to address:
- Racial disproportionality in the criminal legal system
- The collateral consequences of system involvement
- Other structural and systemic issues that harm our clients
To reach the Department of Public Defense, you can call 206-296-7662 during business hours.
Learn more about all of DPD's work in our recent annual report
For The Defense
For the Defense tells stories about the people who work for King County's Department of Public Defense: their work, the issues they face, the challenges they experience, and the successes they celebrate. Our goal is to give you a glimpse into a criminal justice system that is often stacked against the poor, against people of color, and against those who are most marginalized in Seattle and King County.