Santa Barbara County District Attorney
John Savrnoch was elected District Attorney of Santa Barbara County in June 2022 and assumed office on January 2nd, 2023. As a career public servant, District Attorney Savrnoch is dedicated to fulfilling the primary function of the District Attorney’s Office, which is to pursue truth and justice by employing the highest ethical standards in vigorously prosecuting the guilty, protecting the innocent, and preventing crime.
District Attorney Savrnoch began his legal career over 30 years ago. Prior to coming to Santa Barbara County, John was a prosecutor for the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office for 23 years where he represented abused children, and prosecuted insurance fraud and other serious financial crimes. For John’s last ten years in Fresno, he served in leadership roles including supervising the Financial Crimes and Consumer Protection Unit, supervising the Misdemeanor Prosecution Unit, and serving as an Assistant District Attorney. John also held the office of Chief Assistant District Attorney.
District Attorney Savrnoch joined the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office in January 2015 as a Deputy District Attorney in Lompoc. In just over a year, he was promoted to Chief Deputy District Attorney. Most recently, John served as the Assistant District Attorney, where he oversaw all South County attorneys and cases. John led the office through several major innovations and initiatives, and helped design and implement positive community programs.
John received a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Business Administration from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. John attended law school at the University of Wisconsin, where he received his Juris Doctor in 1990.
District Attorney Savrnoch believes that public safety is a right we all share, and that every person in Santa Barbara County deserves to live in a safe neighborhood, free from violence. Throughout his career, District Attorney Savrnoch has worked to implement alternative justice programs designed to divert individuals from the criminal justice system and help offenders understand the consequences of their actions in order to reduce recidivism and protect public safety.
As the elected District Attorney of Santa Barbara County, District Attorney Savrnoch will bring his extensive knowledge and experience as an administrator, career prosecutor, and community leader to this most honorable office, working tirelessly to keep the people of Santa Barbara County safe and ensure that we have a fair, effective, and efficient criminal justice system.