Social Worker Unit
The social work unit at the Snohomish County Public Defender Association (SCPDA) provides compassionate advocacy and resource support to clients charged with felonies, misdemeanors, and civil commitment.
SCPDA social workers operate from a pure advocacy client-centered model in which the client’s interest is paramount. They advocate for client liberty, reduced charges or sentences, and alternative dispositions by providing mitigation support and referral to critical resources in the community including housing, health care, and social services.
SCPDA social workers are responsible for educating judges and prosecutors about their clients’ unique lives and circumstances. They present their clients’ stories compellingly and effectively to achieve better outcomes during plea negotiations and at sentencings. In a system that is inherently dehumanizing, SCPA social workers shine a light on the humanity, dignity, and resiliency of each client.
Legal Assistant Unit
The legal assistant unit is a team of 12 individuals made up of legal assistants and paralegals. Legal assistants support attorneys in juvenile, municipal, district and superior courts in Snohomish County as well as those involuntarily committed, civilly committed, and civil contempt cases.
The unit also provides support to investigators and the social worker team. In addition, we have a paralegal who works directly with our Blake unit, assisting those individuals impacted by the Blake decision.
The unit has a number of responsibilities including administrative tasks, filings with the courts, scheduling and coordinating appointments and meetings, and assisting in drafting and proofreading legal documents. The legal assistant unit works diligently to provide the most effective support for attorneys and advocate for our indigent clients.
Law Office Assistant
The Law Office Assistant unit performs a variety of law office duties ranging from greeting and assisting clients and guests in the lobby, answering phones and scheduling appointments. Unit is responsible for setting up and maintaining client files, including entering data, filing documents, processing discovery, conducting conflict checks, and redacting discovery. We enjoy making regular visits to the courthouse to pick-up and drop-off various documents. We work with multiple internal and external systems on a daily basis as well as operate Xerox machines and fax. Our hope is to make each client feel welcomed and heard and to contribute to providing the highest quality of legal representation.
Legal Secretary Unit
The Legal Secretary Unit is comprised of seven legal secretaries that offer a variety of services to our clients. Legal Secretaries provide probation support, calendar support, interpreter scheduling, sending records to treatment agencies, bench warrant quash scheduling, and so much more.
Legal Secretaries are also involved with Felony, Misdemeanor, Juvenile, and City of Edmonds cases.
Investigator Unit
Our 12 staff investigators provide excellent client-centered representation by closely collaborating with clients and attorneys. Our Investigators have specialized knowledge and experience that will ensure a thorough investigation of assigned cases. Investigators often uncover information overlooked or ignored by law enforcement and can greatly influence a positive case outcome.
71.09 Unit
The RCW 71.09 unit zealously advocates for indigent persons facing civil commitment after serving the entirety of their prison sentence. People who are civilly committed are held at the Special Commitment Center (SCC), a total confinement facility, or reside on Less Restrictive Alternatives until they are found ready for unconditional release.
The 71.09 unit has seven attorneys and two legal assistants. The 71.09 unit carries statewide caseloads, and litigates pre-commitment and post-commitment, including petitions for Less Restrictive Alternative and unconditional release.
Juvenile Unit
The Juvenile Court Unit is a subdivision of the felony unit, that zealously represents children under the age of 18 in both juvenile offender and civil cases.
The juvenile unit has 3 attorneys. Currently, the juvenile unit has two attorneys handling juvenile offender cases, from misdemeanors to class A felony offenses. One attorney represents children in At Risk Youth, Truancy and Child In Need of Services cases.
Attorneys in juvenile court also take questions from the public and provide advice to children considering entering pre-charging diversions
ITA Unit
The ITA unit provides zealous advocacy for individuals facing Involuntary Civil Commitment for mental health and substance use issues. Collaborating with our clients to restore autonomy over their own minds and bodies and expediting their return to a supported community setting are our primary goals. There are currently 8 attorneys and a legal assistant in our unit.
Contempt Unit
Misdemeanor Unit
The Misdemeanor unit of the Snohomish County Public Defender Association represents indigent individuals facing criminal charges in District and Municipal court across the county. From Darrington to Lynnwood, from Stanwood to Sultan, and everywhere in between, our team of attorneys, investigators, and legal staff fight ceaselessly to defend the rights and liberties of our clients.
With a trial record that is unmatched and commitment to justice second to none, we are truly the only ones in the county who can force the DUI Away.
Felony Unit
Snohomish County Public Defender Association’s 33 felony attorneys represent clients facing felony charges at all stages of their cases, from the probable cause hearing to sentencing. While representing clients that the State has chosen to criminalize, the attorneys in the felony unit challenge the State’s evidence every step of the way. Through motions to suppress, motions to dismiss, and trials, we seek to free our clients. We prepare and provide background information about our clients and seek to remind the State and the Court that our clients are complete and complex humans. We work alongside our clients to fight the oppressive, racist, and unjust criminal punishment system.
Blake Unit
The Blake Unit works with individuals who have previously been convicted of simple Possession of a Controlled Substance in two primary ways. They assist individuals currently serving a sentence in custody or on community custody in seeking relief from sentences when those simple possession convictions were included in an individual’s offender score; usually in the form of resentencing with a corrected offender score. The Blake unit also helps to vacate possession convictions and assist those who paid LFOs exclusively toward the possession conviction to obtain refunds.
NGRI Unit
Snohomish County Public Defender Association’s 33 felony attorneys represent clients facing felony charges at all stages of their cases, from the probable cause hearing to sentencing. While representing clients that the State has chosen to criminalize, the attorneys in the felony unit challenge the State’s evidence every step of the way. Through motions to suppress, motions to dismiss, and trials, we seek to free our clients. We prepare and provide background information about our clients and seek to remind the State and the Court that our clients are complete and complex humans. We work alongside our clients to fight the oppressive, racist, and unjust criminal punishment system.
Civil Legal Aid Unit
The Blake Unit works with individuals who have previously been convicted of simple Possession of a Controlled Substance in two primary ways. They assist individuals currently serving a sentence in custody or on community custody in seeking relief from sentences when those simple possession convictions were included in an individual’s offender score; usually in the form of resentencing with a corrected offender score. The Blake unit also helps to vacate possession convictions and assist those who paid LFOs exclusively toward the possession conviction to obtain refunds.