RCW 36.26.070Duty to represent indigent defendants.The public defender must represent, without charge to any accused, every indigent person who is or has been arrested or charged with a crime for which court appointed counsel for indigent defendants is required either under the Constitution of the United States or under the Constitution and laws of the state of Washington:(1) If such arrested person or accused, having been apprised of his or her constitutional and statutory rights to counsel, requests the appointment of counsel to represent him or her; and(2) If a court, on its own motion or otherwise, does not appoint counsel to represent the accused; and(3) Unless the arrested person or accused, having been apprised of his or her right to counsel in open court, affirmatively rejects or intelligently repudiates his or her constitutional and statutory rights to be represented by counsel.[ 2009 c 549 s 4043; 1984 c 76 s 18; 1969 c 94 s 7.]
Washington Legal Code