The attorney administrator shall be appointed by the executive upon consultation with the presiding judges of the district and superior courts. The attorney administrator shall serve at the pleasure of the executive and shall be subject to the county exempt personnel system.

The attorney administrator must be a member in good standing of the Washington State Bar Association. The attorney administrator must perform all attorney functions authorized by this chapter in accordance with the Rules of Professional Responsibility pertaining to attorneys licensed to practice law in the state of Washington, and in accordance with all applicable court rules.

The attorney administrator of the office shall have administrative responsibility for the office services provided herein. The attorney administrator shall not participate in individual determinations of indigency or pre-trial release but shall have oversight responsibility for the setting of policies and procedures applicable to determinations of indigency and pre-trial release, which policies and procedures shall be approved by the applicable courts.

The attorney administrator shall also have the authority to represent individual indigent criminal defendants and to appear as attorney for indigent criminal defendants at first appearance/ bail calendars, arraignments, expedited felony hearings, initial civil commitments proceedings, and fugitive hearings. In the event of a legal conflict, the attorney administrator shall have the authority to appoint separate counsel. (Added by Ord. 00-072 § 1, Nov. 13, 2000, Eff date Jan. 1, 2001; Amended by Ord. 02-058, Nov. 20, 2002, Eff date Dec. 13, 2002).