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If your or your minor's case will be heard in Pierce County Superior Court, Juvenile Court, District Court or Tacoma Municipal Court, you may be eligible for Pierce County Assigned Counsel (public defense) services. The Department of Assigned Counsel (DAC) provides legal assistance to indigent persons under the following circumstances:
- In criminal matters which could result in incarceration (a jailable offense)
- In dependency matters where a child has been removed from the home by the State Department of Social and Health Services
- In juvenile delinquency matters which could result in incarceration
The office also provides legal assistance to persons detained for involuntary civil commitment proceedings at Western State Hospital, the American VA Hospital, and Puget Sound Hospital.
The office does not handle civil law matters other than those noted above. Individuals needing legal assistance for civil matters must hire a private attorney. For assistance with this process, you may contact either the Tacoma/Pierce County Bar Association at (253) 383-3432.
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If you or your dependant have been charged with a crime involving possible incarceration or your child was removed from your home by DSHS, you and/or your juvenile dependant may be eligible for DAC legal services.
By law, the Department of Assigned Counsel can only provide legal services to individuals who have been determined as indigent (or at poverty level). At arraignment, if you have been court ordered to apply for public defense, you will have three days to pursue this screening.
The determination of indigency (based upon RCW 10.101 and as interpreted by the court and Pierce County) is made based upon several variables. These variables may include income, public assistance, expenses, assets, as well as other criteria.
If you have been court ordered to apply for legal representation by the Department of Assigned Counsel, application can be made through Pierce County's Pre-Trial Services Unit who is responsible for screening both in and out of custody defendants for indigency.
You must apply in person and bring an application fee of $25.00 in cash (exact amount), check or money order to the Pre-Trial Services Office at 910 Tacoma Avenue South, 4th Floor, Tacoma, WA within three (3) days after the arraignment or Shelter Care Hearing.
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You must also bring the following information:
- Any paperwork received from the Court, which should have a case number and the next court date.
- Proof of all public assistance that you receive (current) - Award Letter, Check Stub, Medical Coupon (for GAU only), (Note: Food Stamp Card is not sufficient).
- Support, Day Care, etc., handwritten support statement if living with someone and not contributing to the basic household expenses.
- Verification of your income (last 30 days), unemployment compensation, or retirement/disabled pay (if there are two parents in the home or responsible for the juvenile, both incomes will be considered in determining indigency status).
- Proof of any other unusual expenses paid in the past 30 days (medical/dental payments, collection debts, institutional loans, etc.).
- Proof of your basic living expenses (receipts) - for example: Rent or Mortgage Payments (Equity Denial Letter from bank if buying a house), Utilities, Phone, Car Payments, Car Insurance, Child
- Self Employed - Bring in your tax statements, business ledger, reported sales tax, bank statements (last 60 days), and your business license.
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If you or your juvenile qualify for assigned counsel, an attorney will be appointed to represent you for your current court case only. You can find out the name of the attorney appointed to your case, by either contacting the DAC offices at (253) 798-6062, or if the case is a non-confidential criminal case, this information can be accessed on-line through our LINX (Legal Information Exchange) application. In either circumstance, please be prepared with your case number, date and time of your next court appearance, and the courtroom number you are scheduled to appear in.
Remember, you/your juvenile must appear in court on the next scheduled court date whether or not there has been contact with an assigned attorney. Failure to appear may result in a Bench Warrant being issued for your or your juvenile's arrest. Should you need to Quash a warrant, the application is available both on-line or through the DAC offices.
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Once you have been screened, if it has been determined you are not eligible for assigned counsel legal services, you may wish to hire a private attorney to represent you in your case. Resources for finding private legal assistance can be found at the Tacoma / Pierce County Bar Association at (253) 383-3432 and Legal Aid at (253) 572-4343.
Service hours are Monday through Friday, 10:00am - 3:30pm only. To reach the office by phone, dial (253) 798-3478.
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