One of the more prominent critics of the Washington State Bar Association’s changes to public defense is leaving because he believes they’ve set the system on a path to financial disaster .
Larry Zeigler, 78, has headed the Franklin County Office of Public Defense since it was created eight years ago after splitting off from a joint office with Benton County.
The position has come with struggles, including a period last year when a shortage of defense attorneys for indigent suspects in both counties reached a critical point .
But the lack of understanding that led to a recent decision by state bar association leaders to change the public defense system has proven to be too much, says Zeigler.
He believes many of those policymakers who formed the standards for public defense attorneys are out of touch with the realities of county budgets and how counties are paying those attorneys.
His greatest frustration is with an upcoming change to caseload limits.
Zeigler and others contend the changes are not economically or physically feasible. Officials have said when fully implemented it could cost Franklin County alone up to $9 million, devastating its budget.