Asotin County commissioners have approved hiring a part-time public defender to help ease the case load of the two current public attorneys.

Public defender Jane Richards, who also has a contract in district court, wrote a request for funds from the state Office of Public Defense to get the ball rolling on additional help for her and fellow public defender Gary Carpenter.

The position, expected to be advertised this month, will be funded with approximately $31,000 in state funds earmarked to expand public-defense services.