Transfer to office of appellate indigent defense powers, duties, functions, information, property, appropriations, employees, rules, and pending business — Apportionment — Effect on collective bargaining.
RCW 2.70.050
in effect(1) All powers, duties, and functions of the supreme court and the administrative office of the courts pertaining to appellate indigent defense are transferred to the office of public defense. (2)(a) All reports, documents, surveys, books, records, files, papers, or written material in the possession of the supreme court or the administrative office of the courts pertaining to the powers, functions, and duties transferred shall be delivered to the custody of the office of public defense. All cabinets, furniture, office equipment, motor vehicles, and other tangible property employed by the supreme court or the administrative office of the courts in carrying out the powers, functions, and duties transferred shall be made available to the office of public defense. All funds, credits, or other assets held in connection with the powers, functions, and duties transferred shall be assigned to the office of public defense. (b) Any appropriations made to the supreme court or the administrative office of the courts for carrying out the powers, functions, and duties transferred shall, on June 6, 1996, be transferred and credited to the office of public defense. (c) Whenever any question arises as to the transfer of any personnel, funds, books, documents, records, papers, files, equipment, or other tangible property used or held in the exercise of the powers and the performance of the duties and functions transferred, the director of financial management shall make a determination as to the proper allocation and certify the same to the state agencies concerned. (3) All employees of the supreme court or the administrative office of the courts engaged in performing the powers, functions, and duties transferred are transferred to the jurisdiction of the office of public defense. All employees classified under chapter 41.06 RCW, the state civil service law, are assigned to the office of public defense to perform their usual duties upon the same terms as formerly, without any loss of rights, subject to any action that may be appropriate thereafter in accordance with the laws and rules governing state civil service. (4) All rules and all pending business before the supreme court or the administrative office of the courts pertaining to the powers, functions, and duties transferred shall be continued and acted upon by the office of public defense. All existing contracts and obligations shall remain in full force and shall be performed by the office of public defense. (5) The transfer of the powers, duties, functions, and personnel of the supreme court or the administrative office of the courts shall not affect the validity of any act performed before June 6, 1996. (6) If apportionments of budgeted funds are required because of the transfers directed by this section, the director of financial management shall certify the apportionments to the agencies affected, the state auditor, and the state treasurer. Each of these shall make the appropriate transfer and adjustments in funds and appropriation accounts and equipment records in accordance with the certification. (7) Nothing contained in this section may be construed to alter any existing collective bargaining unit or the provisions of any existing collective bargaining agreement until the agreement has expired or until the bargaining unit has been modified by action of the personnel board as provided by law.
(1) All powers, duties, and functions of the supreme court and the administrative office of the courts pertaining to appellate indigent defense are transferred to the office of public defense.
(2)(a) All reports, documents, surveys, books, records, files, papers, or written material in the possession of the supreme court or the administrative office of the courts pertaining to the powers, functions, and duties transferred shall be delivered to the custody of the office of public defense. All cabinets, furniture, office equipment, motor vehicles, and other tangible property employed by the supreme court or the administrative office of the courts in carrying out the powers, functions, and duties transferred shall be made available to the office of public defense. All funds, credits, or other assets held in connection with the powers, functions, and duties transferred shall be assigned to the office of public defense.
(b) Any appropriations made to the supreme court or the administrative office of the courts for carrying out the powers, functions, and duties transferred shall, on June 6, 1996, be transferred and credited to the office of public defense.
(c) Whenever any question arises as to the transfer of any personnel, funds, books, documents, records, papers, files, equipment, or other tangible property used or held in the exercise of the powers and the performance of the duties and functions transferred, the director of financial management shall make a determination as to the proper allocation and certify the same to the state agencies concerned.
(3) All employees of the supreme court or the administrative office of the courts engaged in performing the powers, functions, and duties transferred are transferred to the jurisdiction of the office of public defense. All employees classified under chapter 41.06 RCW, the state civil service law, are assigned to the office of public defense to perform their usual duties upon the same terms as formerly, without any loss of rights, subject to any action that may be appropriate thereafter in accordance with the laws and rules governing state civil service.
(4) All rules and all pending business before the supreme court or the administrative office of the courts pertaining to the powers, functions, and duties transferred shall be continued and acted upon by the office of public defense. All existing contracts and obligations shall remain in full force and shall be performed by the office of public defense.
(5) The transfer of the powers, duties, functions, and personnel of the supreme court or the administrative office of the courts shall not affect the validity of any act performed before June 6, 1996.
(6) If apportionments of budgeted funds are required because of the transfers directed by this section, the director of financial management shall certify the apportionments to the agencies affected, the state auditor, and the state treasurer. Each of these shall make the appropriate transfer and adjustments in funds and appropriation accounts and equipment records in accordance with the certification.
(7) Nothing contained in this section may be construed to alter any existing collective bargaining unit or the provisions of any existing collective bargaining agreement until the agreement has expired or until the bargaining unit has been modified by action of the personnel board as provided by law.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=2.70&full=trueFetched: 6/28/2026