
Representing clients in our community
DPD (previously the Office of Public Defense) has four divisions, each with its own staff of public defenders, investigators, social workers, and paralegals. The county also has a panel of assigned counsel, attorneys who provide legal work for the County on a contractual basis.
Edwin Aralica represents a client in King County Superior Court.
Anyone facing a criminal charge, civil commitment, or a dependency proceeding - and who is found to be income-eligible - is entitled to a public defender, as are children facing contempt of court in truancy proceedings. To find out if you qualify for DPD services see who we serve. Here is where to find out how to get an attorney.
Even if you do not qualify for help from DPD, you can still find out about other local low-cost legal resources on our web site.
Annual Reports
Client-centered, independent, effective
The Department of Public Defense (DPD) provides zealous, client-centered criminal defense, juvenile defense, family defense and more to indigent people in King County and Seattle. DPD's attorneys -- supported by investigators, paralegals, social workers and administrative staff -- represent people facing felony and misdemeanor charges, involuntary civil commitments to psychiatric facilities, dependency proceedings, contempt of court and civil commitments under the state's sexually violent predator law. DPD employees take great pride in their work and are deeply committed to public defense and the rights of those caught up in the criminal justice system. In 2015, DPD represented more than 20,000 clients.
Lorinda Youngcourt
King County Public Defender
Lorinda Youngcourt
If you'd like to invite Lorinda or someone else from the Department of Public Defense to speak to your organization, please send your request to DPD at dpd@kingcounty.gov.