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San Diego County District Attorney

Elected district attorney for San Diego County, California


Elected district attorney for San Diego County, California

FieldValue
agency_nameSan Diego County District Attorney's Office
typeoffice
sealSeal of the San Diego District Attorney.png
seal_width160px
seal_captionSeal of the District Attorney — County of San Diego
formed
jurisdictionGovernment of San Diego County
headquartersHall of Justice
330 W Broadway
San Diego, California, 92101
chief1_nameSummer Stephan
chief1_positionDistrict Attorney
child2_agency
keydocument1
websiteDistrict Attorney’s Office website

330 W Broadway San Diego, California, 92101

The San Diego County District Attorney is the elected district attorney for San Diego County, California. The office is responsible for the prosecution of both felony and misdemeanor violations of California state law that occur within the jurisdiction of the county. Courts within their jurisdiction includes the San Diego Superior Court, the California Courts of Appeal for the Fourth District, and the Supreme Court of California. Federal law violations are prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California. The current district attorney is Summer Stephan, who replaced Bonnie Dumanis on an interim basis after the latter resigned in July 2017.

As in most of California, some misdemeanor crimes are prosecuted by local city attorneys. City attorneys share jurisdiction with the district attorney to prosecute misdemeanors and infractions that are committed within the city's jurisdiction. All other misdemeanor, felony, and infraction violations that occur within San Diego County are prosecuted by the district attorney. As of 2011 the district attorney's office employs 310 attorneys. The district attorney's office claims a 90+ percent conviction rate. The main office is located in downtown San Diego in the Hall of Justice, with three regional centers in El Cajon, Chula Vista, and Vista.

History

In the first 20 years of San Diego County there were 23 men that held the office of district attorney, the first being William C. Ferrell.

Partial list of District Attorneys

District AttorneyTook officeLeft officePartyNotes
William C. FerrellAugust 19, 1850May, 1851
Thomas W. Sutherland18511852
James W. Robinson18521855
Joseph R. Gitchell18561858
James Nichol18581859
William C. Ferrell18591859
Dr. David B. Hoffman18591861
A. N. Ensworth18621862Acting
Dr. David B. Hoffman18621864
Unknown18651865
Benjamin Hayes18661867
William T. McNealy18701873Youngest District Attorney ever elected at age 21
Norman H. Conklin18771879
William M. Smith18791882
W. J. Hunsaker18821884
E. W. Hendricks18851886
Martin L. Ward18931894
William Darby18951895
A. H. Sweet18951898
T. L. Lewis18991902
Cassius Carter19031906
Lewis R. Kirby19071909
H. S. Utley19091914
S. M. Marsh19151917
Lewis R. Kirby19181922
Chester C. Kempley19231926
Unknown19271931
Thomas Whelan19311938
James B. Abbey19381941
Thomas Whelan19411948
James D. Keller19481971
Edwin L. Miller19711995
Paul J. Pfingst19952003
Bonnie Dumanis20032017
Summer Stephan2017Present

Bureau of Investigation

The San Diego District Attorney currently maintains a law enforcement arm called Bureau of Investigation. It consists of eight divisions, which include 130 District Attorney Investigators who are sworn California peace officers pursuant to § 830.1(a) California Penal Code and other non sworn staff.

Amongst its law enforcement duties and responsibilities are assignments which may include pre-trial, gang, economic, insurance, fraud investigations; family protection, child abduction, sex crimes, stalking, and special operation investigations. Apart from this, San Diego DA Investigators may be assigned to regional local, state and federal task forces such as: computer and high tech crimes, narcotics, auto theft, identity theft, violent crimes, SAFE and fraud.

References

References

  1. "Criminal Justice System".
  2. (20 July 2020). "Scales of justice can be tipped by spending on prosecutions, public defenders - The San Diego Union-Tribune".
  3. Gayle Falkenthal. "The District Attorney's Office: A Brief History".
  4. [http://www.sdcda.org/office/criminal-divisions.html#2 San Diego District Attorney, Criminal Divisions, Bureau of Investigation], Official website of the San Diego District Attorney, access date: 12 May 2018.
  5. [http://www.sdcda.org/office/boi/investigator-jobs.html San Diego District Attorney, Bureau of Investigation, District Attorney Investigator Jobs] {{Webarchive. link. (2018-05-13 , Official website of the San Diego District Attorney, access date: 12 May 2018.)
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