WA: sorry, we've made our yearly quota

From the Port Townsend Leader:

Defenders say 'no' to more District Court cases

Jefferson Associated Counsel is declining to represent any more poor people in Jefferson County District Court until a new contract can be negotiated... Jefferson Associated Counsel Director Ben Critchlow advised the county Nov. 8 that District Court had assigned the three-attorney firm 822 cases, which is 312 more than a county contract limit of 510 cases.

Attorney Richard Davies... said Tuesday that through Nov. 28, the three attorneys had been assigned 983 District Court cases, 473 more than the caseload limit spelled out in the contract. "There's way too many cases, and we're getting to a point where our clients aren't getting the service they deserve," said Davies. Davies said the Washington State Bar Association recommends that attorneys be assigned roughly 300 District Court cases a year...

I can imagine more than a few misdemeanor public defenders out there saying, "as if."