| City Attorney of San Diego | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
since December 10, 2024 | |
| Term length | Four years, renewable once |
| Inaugural holder | Thomas W. Sutherland |
| Formation | 1850 |
| Salary | $193,648 annually |
| Website | Office of the City Attorney |
TheSan Diego City Attorney is an elected official who serves as the chief legal adviser to the City ofSan 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]
The current city attorney isHeather Ferbert, who has held the office since 2024.[2] She is the second woman to hold the office after her predecessor,Mara Elliott.
The San Diego City Attorney's Office has four divisions.
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 Attorney | Term start | Term end |
|---|---|---|
| Thomas W. Sutherland | 1850 | 1851 |
| James W. Robinson | 1852 | 1852 |
| Harry L. Titus | 1888 | 1888 |
| James P. Goodwin | 1889 | 1890 |
| William H. Fuller | 1891 | 1894 |
| Herbert E. Doolittle | 1895 | 1904 |
| William R. Andrews | 1905 | 1906 |
| George Puterbaugh | 1907 | 1909 |
| William R. Andrews | 1910 | 1913 |
| Terence B. Cosgrove | 1914 | 1919 |
| Shelley J. Higgins | 1919 | 1927 |
| James O'Keefe | 1927 | 1928 |
| Marvin W. Conkling | 1928 | 1931 |
| Frank H. Heskett | 1931 | 1931 |
| Clinton L. Byers | 1931 | 1936 |
| Dayton L. Ault | 1937 | 1941 |
| Jacob Weinberger | 1941 | 1941 |
| Dayton L. Ault | 1941 | 1942 |
| Clarence J. Novotny | 1943 | 1943 |
| Jean F. Du Paul | 1943 | 1961 |
| Alan M. Firestone | 1961 | 1963 |
| Richard J. Curran | 1963 | 1965 |
| Ed Butler | 1965 | 1969 |
| John W. Witt | 1969 | 1996 |
| Casey Gwinn | 1996 | 2004 |
| Mike Aguirre | 2004 | 2008 |
| Jan Goldsmith | 2008 | 2016 |
| Mara Elliott | 2016 | 2024 |
| Heather Ferbert | 2024 | Incumbent |