A highly regarded private defense attorney has been appointed to fill a vacancy on the Santa Barbara County Superior Court.
Stephen Dunkle, a partner at a Santa Barbara-based law firm, was among judicial appointments announced by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday.
Since 2011, Dunkle has been a partner at Sanger Swysen & Dunkle, which later became Sanger Dunkle Law. While the firms were based in Santa Barbara, they also had offices in Santa Maria.
The name change occurred after the governor appointed Catherine Swysen, who had been managing partner of the firm, to serve as a judge for the San Luis Obispo County Superior Court in early 2023.
Before becoming partner, Dunkle worked as an associate from 2004 to 2011.
In addition to representing criminal defendants, Dunkle also handled appeals.
He was among a group of criminal defense attorneys who volunteered their time to defeat a proposed gang injunction in Santa Barbara.
Additionally, he was on the team that successfully defended King of Pop Michael Jackson from criminal charges.
During his career, he earned certification from the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization as an appellate law specialist.
In addition to the Santa Barbara County Bar Association, he has belonged to the California Attorneys for Criminal Justice Amicus Committee, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and California Appellate Defense Counsel.
Dunkle earned a juris doctor degree from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law, and his bachelor’s degree from Pomona College.
The appointment of Dunkle, a Democrat, fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Brian E. Hill, who had continue to help out hearing cases.
Dunkle reportedly will be assigned to fill a slot in the North County.
It’s not known when Dunkle will be sworn in and begin his duties, but his name and biography already had been removed from the law firm’s website as of Thursday afternoon.
Newsom has named five judges for Santa Barbara County since October 2022, filling empty seats for both criminal and civil assignments in Santa Maria.
The appointment of Dunkle also fills the last vacancy in Santa Barbara County courts — for now.
Dunkle’s appointment was among 18 for Superior Courts in eight counties announced by Newsom’s office on Thursday.
The annual compensation for each of these positions is $232,399.