Prosecutors and Public Defenders

The prosecuting attorney is the lawyer for the people of Lincoln County. One responsibility of the prosecutor is to enforce criminal laws and work for the victims of crime to obtain restitution for losses and state benefits. The prosecuting attorney also serves as the legal advisor to the Board of County Commissioners and to the county’s elected officials and departments, provides legal guidance and opinions regarding federal, state and local laws, works closely with law enforcement agencies, such as the Sheriff, city Police and the Washington State Patrol and provides legal advice to law enforcement.

In criminal matters, the Klickitat County Prosecutor represent the interests of the people of the State by ensuring that offenders within the county are timely charged with crimes that accurately reflect the offending conduct, and further, by taking all steps necessary to ensure that the conduct is appropriately punished. They prosecute cases in the Superior Court located in Goldendale, and the two District Courts located in Goldendale and White Salmon. They determine what charge to file, when and where to file it, how best to obtain a conviction, and they recommend a punishment if the offender is convicted. In their civil division, they act as the law firm representing the County and its agencies.

Kitsap Co. Public Defense provides attorneys to those people facing the possibility of jail time or of losing their children in the Kitsap County Superior or District Court who qualify based upon their financial status.

The Prosecutor’s Office represents the State of Washington is all felony, gross misdemeanor and misdemeanor prosecutions which occur outside of municipal or federal jurisdiction, juvenile offender prosecutions, provides civil legal advice to all county offices and departments, and represents the interests of the State in enforcing child support obligations.

Their mission is to serve the citizens of Grant County by providing the fair and impartial administration of justice, while adhering to the highest ethical standards of the legal profession while discharging otheir responsibilities. These responsibilities include: Protecting the public by responsibly prosecuting violations of the law; Assisting and advocating the rights of crime victims; Promoting professionalism within the criminal justice system; Impartially advising the Board of County Commissioners and the elected and appointed officials of Grant County; Effectively and ethically prosecuting and defending all civil actions to which Grant County may be a party; Remaining accountable to the citizens of Grant County by using public funds as efficiently as possible and operating in a fiscally responsible manner.

The Mission of the Benton & Franklin Counties Office of Public Defense is to provide quality, cost-effective, legal representation to indigent and other qualified persons charged with criminal offenses, or otherwise facing incarceration or loss of liberty interest, so as to protect their Constitutional and other legal rights, educate them about the criminal justice system, and champion the interests of justice. 

 

The Office of Public Defense provides court-appointed lawyers for most indigent criminal defendants in Superior and Juvenile court matters. Their office information is below. They do not take on representation of private clients.

The Columbia County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office represents the state, the county and the city of Dayton in criminal matters in Columbia County District and Superior Courts, Dayton Municipal Court, the state and federal courts of appeal and the Washington and U.S. Supreme Courts.  The County Prosecutor is responsible for prosecuting all felonies and misdemeanors in Columbia County, including those committed in Dayton and Starbuck.

Their mission is to serve the citizens of Clark County by providing the fair and impartial administration of justice by adhering to the highest ethical standards of the legal profession while discharging our responsibilities which include protecting the public by responsibly prosecuting violations of the law, assisting and advocating the rights of crime victims, and promoting professionalism within the criminal justice system.