Local Legal Resources

If you are low income person and have an outstanding warrant or have been charged with a crime, or are in jail, and need an attorney to defend you, contact:

King County Department of Public Defense
dpd@kingcounty.gov
Phone: (206)-296-7662
Fax: (206)-296-0587
TTY: 711 Relay Service

The King County Department of Public Defense website has information on eligibility for an attorney, where its screening offices are (and what you need to bring to screening meetings). The information on the website can help you determine if you are eligible for an attorney and find a screening office.

City of Seattle- Municipal Court Indigent Screening Program
Seattle Justice Center
600 Fifth Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104-1900
(206) 615-0705

2-1-1
2-1-1 is a call service that connects those who qualify with legal aid providers. The number is open for callers Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. From a pay/public phone, call 1-800-621-4636.

The King County Bar Association’s Neighborhood Legal Clinics
These clinics are staffed by volunteer lawyers who provide a 30-minute free consultations to low income individuals with civil legal problems in King County. Attorneys will:

• Provide legal advice for civil legal issues. They cannot help with criminal legal issues.
• Help answering papers, summons and requests.
• Provide referral and resource information. They will not represent you in court.

Referrals are offered (for qualifying individuals) for:

• Bankruptcy
• Consumer debt problems
• Family law issues
• Domestic violence
• Social security overpayments
• Vacation of criminal records

You have to make an appointment before attending a clinic. To make an appointment call 206-267-7070 Tuesday - Thursday from 9:00am- 12:00 pm. Appointments are scheduled no more than 7 days in advance. The scheduling line receives a high volume of calls so you may experience wait times between 5 to 10 minutes.

For more information, including clinic locations, see Neighborhood Legal Clinics.

Eastside Legal Assistance Program
The Eastside Legal Assistance Program (ELAP) provides high-quality, no-cost civil legal aid to low-income residents of East King County, Washington. They also provide legal aid to survivors of domestic violence throughout all of King County.

Appointments can be made by calling 425-747-7274 between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Interpretation services are available for non-English speaking callers. Visit www.elap.org for more information.

Open Door Legal Clinic
Staff and volunteer lawyers at this clinic provide people experiencing homelessness with advice on legal and financial issues, such as:

• Child support and visitation
• Criminal warrants
• Debts
• Court fines and re-licensing

The Clinic holds 4 weekly legal clinics for residents of the Union Gospel Mission's shelters or other partner organizations around the region, as well as weekly walk-in clinics for anyone who needs help. The Clinic has locations in Downtown Seattle, Bellevue, and Everett.

Contact David Mace — 206-682-4642 or dmace@ugm.org — to find out more.

Solid Ground’s Family Assistance Program provides information, advice, referrals, and direct legal representation to individuals who have had their state public assistance benefits (e.g., Basic Food/food stamps, Medicaid, ADATSA, TANF, Disability Lifeline) reduced, terminated, or denied. The program advocates on behalf of clients with DSHS caseworkers, represents clients in administrative hearings, and advises clients representing themselves.

Phone:
206-694-6742 (TTY: 7.1.1)

Email:
familyassistance@solid-ground.org

Fax:
206-694-6737

Address:
Family Assistance at Solid Ground
1501 North 45th Street
Seattle, WA 98103-6708

Website:
Solid Ground

If You are Outside King County and Need Help With Criminal Issues

If you cannot afford to hire a lawyer, you may ask the court to appoint a public defense attorney to represent you. The determination of eligibility for a court appointed attorney is handled by the local court.

The following counties and cities outside of King County provide local public defender agencies to represent adults and juveniles who are accused of a crime and cannot afford to pay a lawyer. These agencies may be reached at the phone numbers listed. To find public defense help in a county or city not listed below, contact the court in which the charges are filed.

• Benton & Franklin Counties Office of Public Defense
  7122 W Okanogan Pl, Bldg. A
  Kennewick, WA 99336
  (509) 222-3700
  
  
• Clallam Public Defender
  516 E. Front Street
  Port Angeles, WA 98362
  (360) 452-3307
  
  
• Clark County Indigent Defense Coordinator
  1408 Franklin St. Room 106
  P.O. Box 5000
  Vancouver, WA 98666
  (360) 397-2175
  
  
• Cowlitz County Office of Public Defense
  1801 1st Ave Ste. 1A
  Longview, WA 98632
  (360)578-7430
  
  
• Grant County Public Defense
  35 C Street NW, Suite 401
  P.O. Box 37
  Ephrata, WA 98823
  (509) 754-6027
  1-800-572-0119
  
  
• Kitsap County Office of Public Defense
  614 Division Street, MS-40
  Port Orchard, WA 98366
  (360) 337-7015
  
  
• Kitsap County Office of Public Defense
  614 Division Street, MS-40
  Port Orchard, WA 98366
  (360) 337-7015
  
  
• Pierce County Department of Assigned Counsel
  (also serves municipal courts of Tacoma, Gig Harbor and Fircrest)
  949 Market Street, Suite 334
  Tacoma, WA 98402-2194
  (253)798-6062
  
  
• Skagit County Office of Assigned Counsel
  121 Broadway
  Mount Vernon, WA 98273
  (360) 336-9405
  
  
• Snohomish County Office of Public Defense
  3000 Rockefeller Avenue M/S 209
  Everett, WA 98201
  (425) 388-3500
  
  
• Spokane County Public Defender Office
  1033 West Gardner
  Spokane, WA 99260
  (509) 477-4246
  
  
• City of Spokane Public Defender
  824 North Monroe
  Spokane, WA 99201
  (509) 835-5955
  
  
• Thurston County Office of Assigned Counsel
  1520 Irving Street
  Olympia, WA 98502
  (360) 754-4897
  
  
• Whatcom County Public Defender
  215 North Commercial Street
  Bellingham, WA 98225
  (360) 676-6670
  
  
• Yakima County Department of Assigned Counsel
  104 North 1st Street
  Yakima, WA 98901
  (509) 574-1160
  
  

For more information: http://www.opd.wa.gov/index.php/public-defender-offices

You can also get more information via the Northwest Justice Project’s toll-free hotline. The Coordinated Legal Education, Advice and Referral or CLEAR hotline is open for calls from low-income individuals Monday-Friday from 9:15 am to 12:15 pm, at 1-888-201-1014.
If you cannot get through, the CLEAR line will record your phone number. You will receive a call back.

For further information, go to: https://nwjustice.org/get-legal-help