The San Diego County District Attorney's Office has the responsibility and authority to investigate and prosecute all felonies in San Diego County. We also prosecute all misdemeanors in the county, except those committed in the City of San Diego. Under a long standing agreement, San Diego City employs its own attorneys who prosecute all ...
Discovery is exchanged between the prosecutor and defense attorney Pretrial motions may be filed such as a motion to Set aside complaint Dismiss the case Suppress evidence Defendant's plea may be changed to Guilty No Contest Trial Jury Trial A jury is selected Opening statements are presented Witnesses may testify Evidence is presented
San Diego County District Attorney. Click here to read more about the District Attorney's proposed three-point plan to address homelessness when it intersects with the criminal justice system and Click here to see DA-compiled crime data that highlights the urgent need to address this public safety issue.
If you are unable to find the case information you are looking for, please check again in 24 hours or call the District Attorney's Office, unless it is a juvenile case - in which case you must appear in person with a valid ID.
The following Case Information pages are for general informational purposes only and are not to be relied upon as legal advice.
The following Case Information pages are for general informational purposes only and are not to be relied upon as legal advice.
The arraignment is a hearing in court in which the defendant is formally charged with an offense, given a copy of the complaint, and informed of his/her constitutional rights. The defendant enters a plea of guilty or not guilty at this hearing.
A judge will then come to a decision that could reduce your conviction from a felony to a misdemeanor or a misdemeanor to dismissal. Another approach is to request clemency from the Governor of California and the Public Defender's Office will assist you in accomplishing this or you can hire your own attorney.
Extradition prosecutors also filed fugitive complaints against 61 fugitives apprehended in San Diego, who were then sent back to the states requesting extradition.
The Combined DNA Index System (CODIS)/DA Case Management System Integration Project is a grant-funded program that pairs one assigned Deputy District Attorney to work collaboratively with the crime labs of the San Diego Police and Sheriff’s Departments. This important project uses technology to track the scientific results generated by these laboratories to achieve a greater measure of justice for victims of previously unsolved crimes in San Diego. At the onset of the project, the DA Information Technology Division modified our case management system to be able to electronically import CODIS matches or “hits” directly from the two crime labs. Our case management system continues to receive downloads of all new CODIS hits on a bi-weekly basis. This technology allows our office to effectively track the voluminous DNA data results from unsolved crimes that have been linked to defendants or cases in our case management system. It also gives prosecutors real-time information about open CODIS hits related to defendants they have previously, or are currently, prosecuting. As a direct result of this collaborative project with the crime labs and law enforcement, felons who had pending felony cases have been tied to other, unsolved crimes. Additionally, we flag hits in cases to an individual other than the defendant for further legal analysis on that case. To date, our office has input over 8,909 hits into our database.
The Felony Issuing Unit reviews police reports submitted by various law enforcement agencies requesting criminal charges for offenses occurring in the Central Division of the San Diego Superior Court. Case Issuance attorneys evaluate cases for criminal prosecution based on the facts and the evidence, with an issuing standard of “proof beyond a reasonable doubt.” Depending on the circumstances of the matter, they may refer cases for vertical prosecution (one attorney handles the case from beginning to end) by a specialized unit within the District Attorney’s Office, or to another prosecuting agency for its evaluation. The Case Issuance staff works closely with the San Diego City Attorney’s Office to ensure offenses committed within the city limits are appropriately reviewed for either felony or misdemeanor prosecution. In 2018, the attorneys in this division reviewed 3,695 felony cases and felony charges were filed against 2,641 defendants. All of these cases were processed by the Case Issuance clerical staff, which also processed all cases issued by other divisions of our office within the Central Division of the Superior Court. Additionally, our staff processed all Information in the Central Division and all grand jury Indictments throughout the county. The attorneys in the division also addressed a variety of legal issues and provided legal advice on criminal law, procedure and evidence to the various law enforcement investigators who submit cases to our office for consideration of criminal charges.
Proposition 57 provides a mechanism for current inmates who are convicted of non-violent crimes, as defined by PC667.5 (c), to receive a ‘Review on the Merits’ to determine their suitability for early release on parole. The District Attorney’s Office analyzes the inmate’s current convictions and criminal history, reaches out to victims for input, and determines whether or not to submit an opposition to early release on parole to the Board of Parole Hearings (BPH). As of January 1, 2019, the District Attorney’s Office has received Notices from CDCR for a Review on the Merits on 1,355 cases, and has responded with 1,144 letters to BPH outlining the reason why the facts of the underlying offenses and offender’s criminal history indicate the perpetrator presents a current, unreasonable risk of violence or a current, unreasonable risk of significant criminal activity if released into the community.
The Priors Unit obtains certified copies of court documents for use in pending cases or to evaluate potential criminal charges. These can be prior convictions, prison packets, court orders, minute entries, restraining orders or other documentary evidence needed for the case being evaluated and/or prosecuted. Prior convictions can elevate criminal conduct to the felony level, provide specific requirements for sentencing, or elevate a defendant’s custody exposure, allowing defendants with criminal records to be given a commensurate sentence. Documents are obtained from courts throughout San Diego County and from other jurisdictions. Additionally, this unit assists the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the California Department of Justice, as well as other agencies and jurisdictions within the county and state, as well as national and international agencies with inquiries related to case dispositions within our county.
This unit reviews police reports submitted by various law enforcement agencies requesting criminal charges for offenses occurring primarily in central San Diego. Case Issuance attorneys evaluate cases for criminal prosecution based on the facts and the evidence with an issuing standard of “proof beyond a reasonable doubt.” Depending on the circumstances of the matter, they may refer cases for vertical prosecution by a specialized unit within the District Attorney’s Office, or to another prosecuting agency for their evaluation. The Case Issuance staff works closely with the San Diego City Attorney’s Office to ensure offenses committed within the city limits are appropriately prosecuted as felonies or misdemeanors. In 2017, the attorneys in this division reviewed 3,501 felony cases for issuing. Felony charges were filed against 2,392 defendants. Charges for 474 defendants were rejected and another 635 defendants were redirected to other prosecuting agencies. All of these cases were processed by the Case Issuance clerical staff, including cases referred to specialized units within our office. The attorneys in the division also addressed a variety of legal issues and provided legal advice on criminal law, procedure and evidence to the various law enforcement investigators who submit cases to our office for consideration.
Extradition prosecutors also filed fugitive complaints against 51 fugitives apprehended in San Diego, who were then sent back to the states requesting extradition.
The Combined DNA Index System (CODIS)/DA Case Management System Integration Project is a grant-funded program that pairs one assigned Deputy District Attorney to work collaboratively with the crime labs of the San Diego Police and Sheriff’s Departments. This important project uses technology to track the scientific results generated by these laboratories to achieve a greater measure of justice for San Diego victims of previously unsolved crimes. At the onset of the project, the DA Information Technology Division modified our case management system to be able to electronically import CODIS matches or “hits” directly from the two crime labs. The case management system continues to receive downloads of all new CODIS hits on a bi-weekly basis. This technology allows our office to effectively manage and track the voluminous DNA data results from unsolved crimes. It also gives prosecutors real-time information about open CODIS hits related to defendants they have previously or are currently prosecuting. As a direct result of this collaborative project with the crime labs and law enforcement, felons who had pending felony cases have been tied to older, unsolved crimes. To date, our office has input over 7,942 hits into our database.
Proposition 57 provides a mechanism for current inmates who are convicted of non-violent crimes, as defined by PC667.5 (c), to receive a ‘Review on the Merits’ to determine their suitability for early release, on parole. The District Attorney’s Office analyzes the inmate’s current convictions and criminal history, reaches out to victims for input, and determines whether or not to submit an opposition to early release on parole to the Board of Parole Hearings.
The Priors Unit obtains certified copies of court documents for use in pending cases or to evaluate potential criminal charges. These can be prior convictions, prison packets, court orders, minute entries, restraining orders or other documentary evidence needed for the case being prosecuted or evaluated. Prior convictions can elevate criminal conduct to the felony level, provide specific requirements for sentencing, or elevate a defendant’s custody exposure allowing defendants with criminal records to be given a commensurate sentence. Documents are obtained from courts throughout San Diego County and from other jurisdictions. Additionally, this unit assists the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the California Department of Justice, as well as other agencies and jurisdictions with inquiries related to case dispositions within the county.