District Attorney Joyce Dudley will not seek re-election and steps down in January 2023
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. - Santa Barbara County District Attorney Joyce Dudley says she will not seek re-election. Her 32 year career in Santa Barbara, including the D.A.'s post since 2010 will end January 3, 2023.
Dudley will focus on other aspects of her personal life and her volunteer work.
She has been a tireless prosecutor for victims of violence, abuse, and environmental disasters.
In recent years she has been in the forefront of the work her office has done on the Isla Vista killings involving Elliot Rodger 2014, the Refugio Oil Spill in 2015, and the fatal Conception boat disaster in 2019. Most recently her office has been prosecuting multiple suspects in the large scale MS-13 drug ring killings in both the north and south county court rooms.
Dudley made her announcement in the Santa Barbara County Courthouse archway flanked by many members of her staff, including Assistant District Attorney John Savrnoch who has taken out papers with a plan to run for the D.A.'s post in the June election. Dudley announced she is endorsing Sayrnoch.
"After 32 years in office I have decided not to seek a 4th term as Santa Barbara County District Attorney,"said Dudley. "I plan to remain as your DA until January 3rd at noon."
Spending time with family and friends will be the priority for Dudley, then, "go on to more adventures to push myself athletically like I have never done before and to spend more time teaching and volunteering "
Looking at her career, and when facing difficult decisions, Dudley said, "a supervisor once said to me 'Joyce every day ask yourself are you doing the right thing for Santa Barbara county?' I can proudly say every decision I made was the right thing so I will miss all of that."
She called the position a dream job, " because of the people I have worked with my friends and family who have supported me and this county, this incredible incredible county that I have had an opportunity to serve."
