San Diego City Attorney

Last updated
City Attorney of San Diego
Seal of San Diego, California.svg
Flag of San Diego, California.svg
Incumbent
Heather Ferbert
since December 10, 2024
Term length Four years, renewable once
Inaugural holder Thomas W. Sutherland
Formation1850
Salary$193,648 annually
Website Office of the City Attorney

The San Diego City Attorney is an elected official who serves as the chief legal adviser to the City of San Diego. The city attorney is responsible for representing the city government in legal matters and for prosecuting misdemeanor and infractions that occur within city limits. Elected every four years, officeholders may serve up to two terms. [1]

Contents

The current city attorney is Heather Ferbert, who has held the office since 2024. [2] She is the second woman to hold the office after her predecessor, Mara Elliott.

Composition

The San Diego City Attorney's Office has four divisions.

List of City Attorneys

The following list shows San Diego City Attorneys since the incorporation of the City of San Diego. [4] [5] [6] From 1852 until 1888 the City government was dissolved due to a bankruptcy and there was no official city attorney. [7]

City AttorneyTerm startTerm end
Thomas W. Sutherland 18501851
James W. Robinson 18521852
Harry L. Titus18881888
James P. Goodwin18891890
William H. Fuller18911894
Herbert E. Doolittle18951904
William R. Andrews19051906
George Puterbaugh19071909
William R. Andrews19101913
Terence B. Cosgrove19141919
Shelley J. Higgins19191927
James O'Keefe19271928
Marvin W. Conkling19281931
Frank H. Heskett19311931
Clinton L. Byers19311936
Dayton L. Ault19371941
Jacob Weinberger19411941
Dayton L. Ault19411942
Clarence J. Novotny19431943
Jean F. Du Paul19431961
Alan M. Firestone19611963
Richard J. Curran19631965
Ed Butler19651969
John W. Witt 19691996
Casey Gwinn 19962004
Mike Aguirre 20042008
Jan Goldsmith 20082016
Mara Elliott 20162024
Heather Ferbert 2024Incumbent

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References

  1. "How To Run For Office Details | City of San Diego Official Website". www.sandiego.gov.
  2. "Office of the City Attorney | City of San Diego Official Website".
  3. "City Attorney Divisions | City of San Diego Official Website". www.sandiego.gov.
  4. Smythe, William Ellworth (1907). History of San Diego, 1542-1908. History Co. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  5. McGrew, Clarence Alan (1922). City of San Diego and San Diego County: The Birthplace of California, Volume 1. American Historical Society. p. 426. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  6. "ELECTION HISTORY – CITY ATTORNEY, CITY OF SAN DIEGO" (PDF). City of San Diego. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  7. "A History of San Diego Government | City of San Diego Official Website". www.sandiego.gov. City of San Diego. Retrieved April 22, 2017.