In 1989, the Ventura County District Attorney's Office became the first office in California to successfully introduce D.N.A. "genetic fingerprinting" evidence in a criminal case.



The General Felony/Misdemeanor Unit handles most of the criminal prosecutions, ranging from driving under the influence of alcohol, grand theft, narcotics violations, and assaults. In 2002, the attorneys in the unit prosecuted 1,787 felony cases and 9,273 misdemeanor cases. The Felony/Misdemeanor Unit is a generalized unit and, with the exception of certain areas of specialty, a different deputy district attorney may handle the case at various stages of the prosecution (filing of a complaint, preliminary hearing, trial and sentencing).

Most felony cases originate with the filing of a felony complaint. After a felony defendant has been held to answer following a preliminary examination or indictment by the grand jury, the "Information Review Committee" reviews the case on the Friday before the Superior Court arraignment. Information, which the defense believes may be pertinent to a filing or disposition decision, should be conveyed to the preliminary hearing deputy in time for consideration at the Information Review. The committee includes the unit supervisors, the assigned attorney, and other members of the unit.

At the Superior Court arraignment, a memo is provided to defense counsel identifying the assigned trial deputy and stating the District Attorney's disposition position. A plea agreement, which varies from the stated offer, must be approved by the unit supervisor.

All misdemeanor cases originate with a complaint. At the arraignment, a deputy will inform defense counsel of the filing deputy's recommended disposition. We make a concerted effort to dispose of misdemeanor cases at arraignment whenever possible. The arraignment deputy is authorized to enter into such dispositions and depart from the filing deputy's recommendation in appropriate cases. A copy of the police reports will be available to defense counsel and/or defendant at the time of arraignment. We agree to short continuances at the arraignment stage when there is a reasonable possibility of disposition.

Within a week of the date a misdemeanor is set for trial, an attorney will be assigned to handle all aspects of that case. The name and telephone number of the assigned trial attorney is available by calling the misdemeanor records clerk at (805) 654-3008. Any discussion about the case should be made with the trial attorney, who should be contacted as early as possible, since our master calendar deputy rarely departs from the trial attorney's recommended disposition.

Within the Felony/Misdemeanor Unit, the following areas of specialty are handled vertically: serious and violent felonies, "Three Strikes" cases, mental health commitments, serious drug cases, auto theft, and agricultural crimes. Among the types of mental health cases handled are:

•  Representation of the Public Guardian's Office on all conservatorships. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 5008(h)(1)(A), et seq.).

When the director of Mental Health, or a representative of the director, initiates a conservatorship proceeding by filing a petition in Superior Court, a deputy district attorney will represent the Public Guardian's Office in court proceedings. Initiation inquiries should be directed to the Ventura County Mental Health Department at (805) 652-6727. Filing and status inquiries should be directed to the Ventura County Public Guardian's Office, (805) 654-3142.

•  Initiating "Murphy" Conservatorship for individuals charged with committing a violent crime and who have been found mentally incompetent to face the criminal proceedings brought against them (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 5008(h)(1)(B)).

•  Reviewing, filing and drafting all petitions, which seek to commit, person legally defined as mentally retarded, to a state hospital (Welf. & Inst. Code § 6500), upon recommendation from a regional center, and petitions seeking to hospitalize dangerous mentally ill individuals (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 5300 et seq.) after initiation of such a petition by the director of Mental Health.

•  Preparation of petitions to extend the hospital commitments of the criminally insane, defendants found not guilty by reason of insanity (Pen. Code, § 1026.5) and individuals previously committed as Mentally Disordered Sex Offenders (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 6300 et seq. repealed 1981).

•  Preparation of petitions to extend the hospital commitments of individuals classified by the Board of Prison Terms as Mentally Disordered Violent Offenders (Pen. Code, § 2962 et seq.).

Review, preparation and filing of petitions to confiscate firearms found in the possession of individuals who have been detained for evaluation and treatment of a mental disorder (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 8102 et seq.) after a request of such a petition by the law enforcement agency who originally confiscated the firearms.