The Washington State Office of Public Defense (OPD) is a state executive-branch agency that oversees and supports delivery of constitutionally effective legal representation to indigent people across Washington. OPD administers state public defense funding and grants, develops minimum standards and contract provisions, provides training and technical assistance to public defenders and appointed counsel, monitors compliance and workload data, and advises policymakers on system improvements and access-to-counsel issues.
Indigent defense funding and state budget appropriations, public defense standards and accountability, caseload and workload limits for counsel, counsel qualifications and training requirements, oversight of appointed and county defense systems, protections for juvenile and capital defendants, data collection and reporting on public defense outcomes
Primarily state legislative appropriations from the Washington State general fund, supplemented by federal grants and program-specific or pass-through funds as applicable
Washington Defender Association, Washington State Bar Association, county public defense offices and contract defender organizations, Washington State courts (including the Supreme Court and trial courts), relevant state legislative committees
State government agency
