Background
The 2023 Washington State Legislature appropriated funding to the Washington State Office of Public Defense (OPD) to help counties and cities provide public defense services for individuals charged under the offenses created in Second Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill (2E2SSB) 5536. Our Simple Possession Advocacy and Representation (SPAR) Program administers and disburses these funds. The legislature limited these funds to counties with a population of 500,000 or less, or to cities with a population of 200,000 or less.

Under RCW 2.70.200, OPD may provide reimbursement of eligible expenses to qualifying jurisdictions or, at the election of the jurisdiction, contract directly with indigent defense providers for consultation and representation services for indigent adults facing drug possession charges. OPD is piloting the direct client services piece of the SPAR program in two regions. Within those two regions, four municipal jurisdictions elected to designate OPD to directly contract with indigent defense providers: the City of Vancouver, the City of Kennewick, the City of Richland, and the City of West Richland.

SPAR Purpose
To promote consistent, quality defense representation in courts of limited jurisdiction for every indigent client facing or charged with possession offenses.

For Full Job Descriptions and to Apply: 

City of Kennewick, Richland, West Richland: Two full-time contracts.
City of Vancouver: One full-time contract.