A plan to save money could bring new faces to Everett Municipal Court.
The Everett City Council tonight plans to vote on a proposed $2.3 million public defender contract with Baker Law, a group of six lawyers from Yakima and Seattle. The contract would be for 2 1/2 years.
Of the six firms vying to defend poor people accused of misdemeanor crimes in the city, Baker submitted the lowest bid.
“We’re looking to get better value for the taxpayers’ money,” said Clark Langstraat, the city’s purchasing agent.
The Baker firm does not yet have an office in Everett. If the council approves the contract, it plans to lease space downtown and begin taking on about 2,400 active criminal cases starting July 1.
The city reached an agreement with the current public defender to continue working for a month in order to help smooth the transition.
The city’s decision to open the public defence contract to competition follows a significant ramp up in spending for the services.
Between 2005 and 2008, the city’s public defender budget ballooned from $360,000 to more than $1 million. It’s on pace to reach $1.17 million this year.
That increase has allowed the city’s longtime public defender — Association of Attorneys for the Accused — to increase its number of lawyers from three to eight and to pare down caseloads.
Former City Attorney Ned Johnston initiated the new emphasis in an attempt to come closer to caseload standards being advocated by the legal community.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
