There’s a traffic jam in our courts in Washington state.

Victims, and people accused of crimes, are waiting and waiting.

That's because in many cases, one person needs a public defender, and those are getting harder to come by.

Investigative reporter Aspen Ford joins us to talk about why, and it’s not just because attorneys are burnt out.

We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed.

Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WA is divided about our public defender crisis