Santa Barbara County has a new Superior Court judge. California Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Sydney Bennett to the bench.
Bennett has worked in the Santa Barbara County Public Defender’s Office since 2006. Bennett was a Deputy Public Defender for 14 years and became the Senior Public Defender in 2020. She received her degree from the Santa Clara University School of Law.
Presiding Judge Patricia Kelly called Bennett an outstanding addition to the court system, noting that her years of experience as a public defender have left her well-prepared for the post.
She fills the post created by the resignation of Santa Barbara County Superior Court Judge Michael Carrozzo, who stepped down last June after being accused of ethical breaches by the state’s Commission on Judicial Performance.
