Santa Barbara County Superior Court welcomes newest addition to the bench Friday
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. – On Friday, the Santa Barbara County Superior Court welcomed its newest member to the bench, Judge Teresa Martinez.
She will be formally sworn in as a Superior Court Judge for the County of Santa Barbara on May 27, 2025.
On Wednesday, May 7, 2025, Governor Newsom officially appointed Judge Martinez to the superior court's bench, filling a vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Jean M. Dandona.
Prior to her appointment to the bench, Judge Martinez served as a Senior Deputy County Counsel at the Santa Barbara County Counsel's Office since 2018 and worked at the California Rural Legal Assistance in various roles including Directing Attorney from 2013 to 2016 and a staff attorney from 2012 to 2013.
The newly-appointed superior court judge also brings experience from private practice.
She was an Associate at Buynak, Fauver, Archbald & Spray LLp from 2017 to 2018 and a Solo Practitioner at Teresa Martinez Law from 2016 to 2017.
Judge Martinez was also a contract attorney at the Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County from 2011 to 2012 and earned her Juris Doctor degree from Cincinnati College of Law.
"Judge Martinez will be an outstanding addition to the Santa Barbara Superior Court," said Presiding Judge Patricia L. Kelly in a press release announcing the addition to the bench Friday. "Her tenure with County Counsel’s Office provides her with excellent experience in preparation for this new role. I join all my colleagues on the Santa Barbara Superior Court in welcoming her to this new chapter in her career. The community will be well served by this appointment."
