Beginning on January 1, 2022, Washington state law enforcement officers will be required to provide juveniles with access to an attorney before the juvenile waives their constitutional right(s). HB 1140 delineates the specific circumstances that require legal consultation.

Officers who need to put youth in touch with an attorney will be able to call the Youth Access to Counsel (YAC) Line at 1-877-J-PUB-DEF (1-877-578-2333). The YAC Line will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Multiple attorneys will always be available in order to limit wait times. Incoming calls will automatically be passed to an attorney.

The YAC is not yet operational. Detailed instructions will be made available in the coming weeks and will be provided on the Office of Public Defense website.

For those interested in receiving updates on the YAC Line, please email OPD’s Elizabeth Mustin with the subject line “YAC updates.”