Santa Barbara County Superior Court’s newest judge officially donned his robe on Friday.

Stephen Dunkle, a longtime defense attorney, took the oath of office during a previously scheduled countywide judges meeting in the Santa Ynez Valley.

Presiding Judge Pauline Maxwell administered the oath of office and Dunkle’s wife, Erin, helped him put on his robe.

“We have 21 judges — the first time in a long time,” Maxwell noted.

Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Dunkle to the bench on Dec. 7, filling the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Brian Hill.

“I look forward to getting to know each and everyone of you, and working with you on the other side of the bench,” Dunkle said.

He thanked his wife for her support along with his former law partners, Robert “Bob” Sanger and Catherine Swysen.   

Dunkle had been a partner at Sanger Swysen & Dunkle, which later became Sanger Dunkle Law. While the firm was based in Santa Barbara, it also had an office in Santa Maria.

The name change occurred after Newsom appointed Swysen, who had been the firm’s managing partner, to serve as a San Luis Obispo County Superior Court judge earlier this year.

Before becoming a partner, Dunkle worked as an associate from 2004 to 2011.

In addition to representing criminal defendants, he handled appeals.

Dunkle was among a group of criminal defense attorneys who volunteered their time to defeat a proposed gang injunction in Santa Barbara.

Friday’s swearing-in ceremony marked the fifth in Santa Barbara County in 14 months after Newsom appointed attorneys to fill empty seats created by retirements of judges handling both civil and criminal cases in Santa Maria.