The City of Spokane Public Defender’s Office represents eligible people facing a loss of liberty from criminal charges within the City of Spokane.

The Spokane County Public Defender office protects the rights, liberties, and dignity of all persons in the County unable to afford legal counsel by providing the finest legal representation and maintain the integrity and fairness of the justice system.

Offers legal representation in cases with a likelihood of success in establishing positive legal precedents that will affect lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people (LGBT) and people with HIV or AIDS.   Pursues litigation in all areas of the law that affect LGBT individuals and people with HIV/AIDS, including: -  Marriage & Family -  Workplace equality and employment discrimination -  Immigration -  Health Care, including discrimination and breach of confidentiality -  Fair Courts -  Government and police misconduct   Provides targeted advocacy and outreach for: -  Teens & Young Adults -  Transgender individuals -  Seniors -  Those with HIV or AIDS -  Latinos -  Those experiencing discrimination rooted in intersecting identities such as race or class   Offers resources, publications and information about related issues when unable to provide representation and to support self-advocacy.

Refers to lawyers who offer a 30-minute legal consultation where clients can weigh options, ask questions, and get general legal advice from an attorney in the area of law that matches their situation. Maintains a list of more than 100 private attorneys practicing in over 50 areas of law. Service is not designed for: Help reviewing contracts, forms or other documents, attorneys are ethically bound to such services only under contract; Finding representation in an urgent crisis (i.e. court date this week),

Provides legal services to relatives and other caregivers to obtain minor guardianship of children whose parents cannot or do not want to care for them. The program provides direct representation through referrals to a pro bono panel of attorneys and/or provides guidance and advice for clients who are unrepresented. The client does not need to be a relative but must have a significant relationship with the child. The child must currently be living with the applicant.

Helps veterans file claims for benefits through the Veterans Administration, including representation for Veterans Benefits claims.   Helps veterans trying to obtain services such as -  Discharge upgrades -  Disability benefits -  VA home loan -  VA education benefits -  Health care benefits   Provides information and referral to other services for veterans.

Free legal advice and representation for low-income households in unlawful detainer (eviction) proceedings in Thurston County. The Housing Justice Project legal advice clinic begins at 8:30am every Friday at the Thurston County Courthouse, Building 2. Clients on the Unlawful Detainer docket (eviction court hearing) must also arrive at 8:30am.

Operates a toll-free, centralized intake, advice and referral service for low-income people seeking free legal assistance with civil legal problems. Lawyers must avoid conflicts of interest that arise from talking with both parties of a dispute. Those on the phone will ask callers for information about the person, business or agency with whom they are having a problem to identify any conflicts of interest. If a person is calling on behalf of someone else, the lawyers will determine whether they can speak with the caller or whether they need to speak directly with the person, both to avoid conflicts and to assure that the lawyer can obtain adequate information about the client and the case. If one is eligible to speak with a lawyer or paralegal, he or she will ask about the problem. Please have papers or documents concerning the problem ready when calling. It will also help to have important information such as the names of people involved with the problem, and their addresses and telephone numbers. Based on the information the caller gives to the lawyers, they may do one or more of the following: - Give verbal or written advice that may help the caller solve the problem on their own; - Send written legal information and/or forms to help the caller solve the problem on their own; - Try to resolve the problem through negotiation; - Refer the caller to another provider of legal aid. They try to make the best referral possible, however they cannot guarantee that a referral will be available or that an agency or program they refer to will be able to help. Operates a separate phone line for adults over the age of 60.

Provides mandated legal services to indigent persons - accused of crimes in the Pierce County Superior Court; Pierce County District Court; Municipal Courts in Tacoma, Fircrest, and Ruston; - and Pierce County Juvenile Court delinquency proceedings. Also provides constitutionally mandated legal services to indigent - parents involved in Juvenile Court dependency and termination proceeding and - to persons detained for involuntary civil commitment proceedings at Western State Hospital and other evaluation and treatment facilities. Examples include: - Criminal matters which could result in jail time: Felony offenses, Gross Misdemeanor, Misdemeanors, and Probation Violations. - Juvenile delinquency which could result in jail time. - Juvenile Dependency: where parents have had their child/children removed from their custody.

Operates a toll-free, centralized intake, advice and referral service for low-income people seeking free legal assistance with civil legal problems. Lawyers must avoid conflicts of interest that arise from talking with both parties of a dispute. Those on the phone will ask callers for information about the person, business or agency with whom they are having a problem to identify any conflicts of interest. If a person is calling on behalf of someone else, the lawyers will determine whether they can speak with the caller or whether they need to speak directly with the person, both to avoid conflicts and to assure that the lawyer can obtain adequate information about the client and the case. If one is eligible to speak with a lawyer or paralegal, he or she will ask about the problem. Please have papers or documents concerning the problem ready when calling. It will also help to have important information such as the names of people involved with the problem, and their addresses and telephone numbers. Based on the information the caller gives to the lawyers, they may do one or more of the following: - Give verbal or written advice that may help the caller solve the problem on their own; - Send written legal information and/or forms to help the caller solve the problem on their own; - Try to resolve the problem through negotiation; - Refer the caller to another provider of legal aid. They try to make the best referral possible, however they cannot guarantee that a referral will be available or that an agency or program they refer to will be able to help. Operates a separate phone line for adults over the age of 60.

Offers VA Disability and Pension application preparation, VA Burial benefits assistance, VA Health Care applications and assistance, and Chelan County Veterans Assistance Fund applications, along with all other issues related to Veterans and their families.

Helps veterans file claims for benefits through the Veterans Administration, including representation for Veterans Benefits claims.   Helps veterans trying to obtain services such as -  Discharge upgrades -  Disability benefits -  VA home loan -  VA education benefits -  Health care benefits   Provides information and referral to other services for veterans.

Provides free 45-minute to 1-hour appointments with an attorney for advice on civil legal issues such as: Federal and state benefits (social security, veteran's, Medicare and Medicaid), employment, contracts, debt/consumer/finance, landlord/tenant. Appointments are required. Clinics are currently telephonic. Attorneys at the clinic are not able to provide representation.