Candidate for
District Attorney; County of San Diego

A nationally recognized expert in the creation of drug courts, Superior Court Judge Bonnie Dumanis is respected as a Judicial Officer with vision and strong leadership. She won a reputation in law enforcement circles as a vigorous, hard-hitting prosecutor when she was a Deputy District Attorney for 12 years before becoming a judge. She continues to be tough on crime. Judge Dumanis continues to stand out as an innovator in crime prevention.

Bonnie Dumanis served as a Deputy District Attorney for more than 12 years handling more than 50 jury trials. Showing outstanding leadership qualities, Bonnie Dumanis was also chosen to lead the highly successful Metropolitan Homicide Task Force, a joint county law enforcement investigation. Beginning in 1990, Bonnie Dumanis worked the next four years as a Juvenile Referee on the Superior Court bench, handling serious violent juvenile offenders. In 1994, before being elected to Municipal Court Judge, Bonnie Dumanis was the only candidate rated "EXCEPTIONALLY WELL QUALIFIED" by the San Diego Bar Association.

After only two years as a Municipal Court Judge, her colleagues elected Dumanis to the position of Assistant Presiding Judge. By this time, she had helped implement the San Diego Central Division Drug Court. This court has since been recognized as a national model because of the partnering of law enforcement with the courts, prosecutors, defense attorneys and treatment providers to fight substance abuse.

On the Superior Court, Judge Dumanis played a primary role in shaping the Domestic Violence Court, stressing accountability and treatment for batterers with the goal of reducing repeat offenses. She was elected by her colleagues on the bench to serve on the Superior Court Executive Committee. The Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court appointed Judge Dumanis as the Presiding Judge over the Appellate Division of the San Diego Superior Court in 2000.

Judge Bonnie Dumanis has been active in the legal community. She is past president of the Lawyers Club of San Diego and served on the Board of Directors of the San Diego Bar Association. She taught ethics and trial skills at the University of San Diego School of Law and conducted classes for the National and California Judicial Colleges.

Judge Dumanis has also devoted her spare time to giving back to the community, especially our youth. She served on the Board for the Big Sister League and was a member of the Eagle Scout Review Board. She is a former Liaison to the Juvenile Delinquency Commission. She also served as a former board member of the Golden Hill Mediation Resource Center.

Please note, Judge Dumanis has been on an unpaid leave of absence from the bench since July, 2001, after being asked by local Law Enforcement groups to campaign for the District Attorney office.