A message on the county Medical Examiner's Office webpage warns visitors it could take four to six months before a cause of death is determined and a case can be closed
Superior Court Judge Michael Washington, a former deputy public defender, said the county’s decision to not accept his application was absurd. But an Orange County judge sided with the county.
The county said the search for the next public defender will go on, although it was unclear if Superior Court Judge Michael Washington will appeal the ruling
Vista Superior Court Judge Michael Washington, who spent years of his career in the Public Defender's Office, will not oversee criminal cases while the matter is pending
The county disqualified Superior Court Judge Michael Washington from the applicant pool due to a 76-year-old state statute. Washington’s lawyer says the county is misinterpreting the law.