Criminal Defense
To be accused of a crime is a terrifying thing. Every step in the criminal legal system is traumatic and dehumanizing and the effects of the process, from the moment an officer’s lights flash behind your vehicle or a detective calls your cell phone saying they need to meet, is designed to induce shame and fear. Every person working at SCPDA believes that our goal as our client’s representative in this system designed to alleviate harm only by causing more harm, is to provide client centered representation that utilizes our knowledge of the law to inform and guide the decisions of our clients.
Our attorneys and staff are available at any time during working hours to answer questions that you might have about the criminal legal process. We also encourage anyone that comes into contact with law enforcement officials to exercise their right to remain silent or right to an attorney and have a 24 hour on call service available to connect someone being investigated for a crime with an attorney.
Civil
We often think of civil laws as a group of laws that govern ordinary private matters, that are separate from criminal laws. However, civil laws can sometimes operate similarly to criminal laws when they have the potential to deprive individuals of their liberty by way of jail or involuntary hospitalization. Two examples are Contempt of court and Involuntary civil commitment for behavioral health issues. Under these circumstances, because our society purports to value individual freedom, and because it can be difficult for individuals to defend themselves against the power of the state, people have a right to be represented by an attorney.
For individuals facing Contempt of court, jail may be imposed for non-payment of certain monetary obligations, and for Involuntary commitment, clients face possible lengthy hospitalization and forced medications if a court determines that they meet certain criteria. In both situations, there may be harmful impacts from an often sudden departure from their daily lives.
Defenders who handle civil cases work without judgment, centering our clients to determine priorities and goals, to protect rights that are in jeopardy, and to formulate defenses and strategies to minimize harm, recognizing that, as with criminal laws, marginalized communities can be impacted disproportionately. Given the myriad of damaging consequences resulting from these civil laws, Defenders also push for systemic change that brings humanity and true justice to our courts.
Post Conviction
Our attorneys represent indigent individuals in a variety of ways following convictions or commitments. We represent individuals across the spectrum from those who have been found not guilty by reason of insanity and have been committed to a State Psychiatric Hospital under RCW 10.77, to those who a facing civil commitment under RCW 71.09. SCPDA also represents individuals on appeal of misdemeanor convictions from Snohomish County District Courts and other Municipal Courts. In these cases, attorneys advocate for clients in writing and orally before the Snohomish County Superior Court. Finally, we represent individuals in advocating for re-sentencing and those who come back for re-sentencing through various changes in the law or based on appellate decisions.