Executive Dow Constantine appointed Matt Sanders as the director of the King County Department of Public Defense. He currently serves as the interim director and previously held various leadership roles at DPD, including Juvenile Unit Supervisor and, most recently, Managing Attorney of the Associated Counsel for the Accused Division.
Today, Executive Dow Constantine announced that he has appointed Matt Sanders to serve as director of the King County Department of Public Defense (DPD). Sanders has been serving as the interim director since October 2024. His appointment is subject to confirmation by the King County Council.
Sanders was one of three final candidates that the Public Defense Advisory Board recommended. He emerged as the clear candidate due to his extensive experience and his demonstrated operational and cultural leadership of the department.
“Matt is the ideal candidate to lead the Department of Public Defense in its important work. I’ve had the privilege of working with him since October when he became interim DPD Director, as well as in his previous roles,” said Executive Constantine. “Throughout, I’ve been consistently impressed by his leadership, advocacy, and unwavering commitment to both DPD employees and the people we serve— many of whom are impacted by institutional racism, poverty, mental illness, and marginalization.”
Before serving as the interim director, Sanders held various leadership roles at DPD, including Juvenile Unit Supervisor and, most recently, Managing Attorney of the Associated Counsel for the Accused Division. He started his Public Defense career in 2011 as a Rule 9 intern and then served as a law clerk before returning in 2013 as a staff attorney after the merger that formed DPD. He earned his undergraduate degree from Kenyon College and his law degree from Seattle University School of Law, where he now serves as an adjunct professor.
"I am honored by this appointment and grateful for the trust and confidence Executive Constantine has placed in me. It is a privilege to continue leading DPD as we begin the unprecedented work of implementing new caseload standards. I am excited to partner with our talented staff, union leadership, and community stakeholders to advance evidence-based approaches to the challenges we face as a community, support sustainable workloads for all DPD staff, and ensure that DPD continues to provide high-quality representation to the people in King County who depend on us most,” said Sanders.
The DPD Director is appointed to a four-year term. The King County Code requires the Executive to appoint one of three candidates recommended by the 11-member Public Defense Advisory Board, a non-governing panel established by county ordinance that advocates for high-quality public defense.
Last year, DPD represented approximately 16,000 clients who were charged with crimes or faced certain civil proceedings and could not afford legal representation. These include cases such as involuntary commitment or family separation as a result of a dependency.
The department has over 450 employees, including attorneys, investigators, mitigation specialists, and paralegals.
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