Robinson resigns as public defense monitor

EPHRATA — The Grant County Superior Court public defense monitor is resigning at the end of the month because he's too busy with his Seattle firm and clients.

Jeffery P. Robinson, 50, a criminal defense lawyer at Schroeter, Goldmark and Bender, was hired in February 2006, to monitor Grant County's compliance with terms of a settlement agreement aimed at improving the superior court public defense system.

The settlement agreement followed a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington and Columbia Legal Services. The suit argued the public defenders carried excessive caseloads and often were assigned cases they were not qualified to handle.

Robinson, who was required to provide quarterly reports on the system, stated in his final quarterly report for 2006 that he visited the county on three separate days during the year, Feb. 21, May 23 and Oct. 5.

"Several defenders have suggested that additional monitoring is needed for the system to work correctly," he wrote in the report dated Jan. 31, 2007.

Seattle criminal defense attorney Tito Rodriguez is Robinson's replacement, starting May 30, said Grant County Commissioner Richard Stevens.

Robinson was too busy in Seattle to remain Grant County's monitor, Stevens said. Robinson is working this month to prepare Rodriguez for the position, he added.

"With my trial schedule and commitments on the west side, I felt it would be better if someone else did the job," Robinson said today.

Kittitas County Superior Court Judge Michael E. Cooper approved the monitor change last week, said June Strickler, administrative services coordinator in the county commissioners' office.

Rodriguez and Robinson were originally the two finalists for the monitor position. Robinson was selected by the ACLU after Grant County narrowed the field from five candidates for the position to two.

"(Robinson) was a good, quality gentleman," Stevens said. "He did us a good job and we're looking forward to Tito doing the same."

Rodriguez, 39, said in a phone interview he's prepared to commit whatever time is necessary to ensure the settlement agreement is carried out.

"It's obviously a very unusual position," Rodriguez said. "I've always enjoyed the administrative side of public defense and this is an unique opportunity to participate in rejuvenating the system in Grant County."

The county is committed to improving the system, Rodriguez said, and he's committed to helping.

"Until I take over the role, I'm trying to stay objective and not get information from extraneous sources," he said. "The result is that I don't have a real good handle at this point on what developments and what progress was made over the last year and a half."

Superior court public defender Mike Haas said he anticipates a seamless transition.

"Jeff was just so jammed up with his trial load in Seattle," Haas said. "He realized (the monitor position) required more hands on contact than he could provide."

Haas hopes to learn from Rodriguez's experience as a defense lawyer.

ACLU spokesman Doug Honig agreed that Robinson's schedule in Seattle would not enable him to continue as monitor.

"The ACLU has expressed its ongoing concerns to Jeff Robinson and looks forward to working with the new monitor," Honig said.

The ACLU's concerns include their belief the county did not comply with the settlement agreement in 2006. County officials insist they were in compliance.

A ruling by Cooper to settle the 2006 compliance issue has not been made.