Coupeville attorney Craig Platt has taken his legal expertise all the way to the top of the Washington Defender Association.

Platt was recently voted president of the WDA, the first non-Seattle lawyer to take the helm. The association provides training and a comprehensive selection of continuing legal education sessions, which help attorneys fulfill their annual requirements.

One of Platt’s primary interests in the approximately 16 years he’s been a member of the association has been to ensure a high quality training program.

“It’s really a very worthwhile project,” he said, adding that they are in the process of putting together a new trial practice notebook.

Additionally, working in conjunction with the State Office of Public Defense, the association has resource attorneys available by telephone or in person to consult on individual cases to provide backup support for defense attorneys.

The association also serves as the expert resource for creating and developing public defense standards. Both the Legislature and the Washington State Bar Association refer to the standards as the ultimate resource.

Platt has served as Island County Public Defender for more than 15 years, having recently lost the contract to Tom Pacher. He will have to step down as WDA President at the end of the year. He underscored the unconscionableness of contracts being used by smaller counties like Grant, which has been hit by a barrage of litigation.

“The fact is, public defenders all over the state are making commitments to limit their caseloads and to provide adequate compensation and then they’re not getting paid enough money to do that,” Platt said. “Part of what’s happening is you have things on paper that aren’t happening in reality.”

Island County is a prime example of the discrepancies implicit in the current public defense system. What remains to be seen is the extent to which WDA will become actively involved in policing and monitoring the adherence to their standards.

“Up until now, we’ve been the source of information and then we’ve let other people use that information as they will,” the attorney said. “We’ve been the experts and they’ve relied on it. What I stand for is that now we’re going to get involved in making sure it happens. And I think we have an example of that right here in Island County.”

The contract approved by county commissioners is unrealistic, Platt said. The public defender, with the amount of money allotted, cannot adhere to standards and regulate the caseload, and adequately compensate attorneys.

Although Platt’s tenure will be truncated, he has specific goals while heading the association for the next few months.

“I’m on my way out, so I can say whatever I want,” he said. “I’m going to say to heck with the politically correct, diplomatic approach. I’m saying, let’s go after people. Let’s put some teeth behind this. Let’s quit allowing small counties to sign contracts that the public defenders cannot possibly honor and then blaming the victim of inadequate funding. And the victim in the public defense agencies. It’s not fair and it needs to come to an end.”

Platt was moved to seek the presidency when he attended a meeting a couple months ago and listened to an impassioned and impromptu speech by the former president about taking a stand.

“He and I have argued for years,” he said. “I’ve always said let’s spend money on training, let’s spend money on practice manuals and those things. He’s been more of an advocate for lobbying the Legislature and I’ve always said that’s not where I think we should spend our money. He’s been more political and I’ve been more practical.”

Platt took his convictions into the interview with the county commissioners when they sought proposals for the public defender position. He said he spoke up and told them exactly how much it would cost to do the job properly.

“I took a stand and I lost,” the WDA President said.

The Coupeville lawyer ultimately plans to go into private practice, although public service remains his passion.