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Casey Gwinn, San Diego City Attorney
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Casey Gwinn took office as the
elected City Attorney of San Diego in December 1996. He was
re-elected in March 2000, to his second four year term. His
leadership of a staff of over 350 in the City Attorney's Office
has been credited for creating a tremendous work environment. In
1999 and again in 2002, the San Diego City Attorney's Office was
identified as one of the top 100 public or private law firms in
the country in America's Greatest Places to Work with a Law
Degree, published by Harcourt, Brace. In 1997, Casey was
recognized by American Lawyer Magazine as one of the Top 45
public lawyers in America.
Prior to becoming the San Diego City Attorney, Casey founded and
headed the City Attorney's nationally recognized Domestic
Violence Unit from 1986 - 1996. The Unit, chosen as the model
prosecution unit in the nation in 1993, prosecutes over 4,000
domestic violence, child abuse, and elder abuse cases each year.
The Unit's work has been honored for playing a major role in the
75% drop in domestic violence homicides in the City of San Diego
over the last 10 years. San Diego now has the lowest domestic
violence homicide rate of any major city in the nation. In 1986,
Casey was a co-founder of the San Diego Task Force on Domestic
Violence, In 1991, Casey founded the San Diego Domestic Violence
Council. Most recently, he led the effort to open the nationally
acclaimed San Diego Family Justice Center, a comprehensive “one
stop shop” for services to victims of family violence. The
Family Justice Center opened its doors in downtown San Diego on
October 10, 2002. The U.S. Department of Justice has chosen the
San Diego Family Justice Center as a demonstration project for
the nation in developing a coordinated approach to co-located
services for victims of domestic violence, child abuse, elder
abuse, and sexual assault.
Since taking office in 1996, Casey has focused on early
intervention measures to address criminal justice and community
problems at the earliest possible stage. He founded an
innovative Neighborhood Prosecution Unit to focus on quality of
life crimes, working in partnership with community groups. He
created the San Diego Parenting Project and San Diego's highly
respected Teen Court; both are early intervention programs
designed to help first time juvenile offenders and their
parents. He wrote and successfully defended the City's juvenile
curfew law, a powerful tool for protecting youth in San Diego.
In partnership with the Police Chief, he founded the City’s STOP
Program, an asset forfeiture program, to hold unlicenced and
suspended license drivers accountable for driving without a
valid license. He also played critical roles in the opening of
San Diego’s many specialized courts – including, Drug Court,
Homeless Court, Community Court, and Domestic Violence Court.
Casey and his staff handle a large caseload in both state and
federal courts on a daily basis.
Casey has personally tried three major civil cases since taking
office in 1996. Most recently, this past summer, Casey stepped
out of his day to day role as the City Attorney to spend three
months handling a caseload, as a line prosecutor, in his
Domestic Violence Unit. He tried a number of criminal cases and
prosecuted a three week stalking trial. The defendant was
convicted and sentenced to 4 ½ years in jail for his violence
and abuse. Recently, he prosecuted a felony sexual assault and
terrorist threat case where the defendant hanged himself in
front of his two young children after sexually assaulting his
ex-wife. Casey’s reputation as a tough and effective prosecutor
has been earned in the courtroom.
Casey currently serves on the Department of Justice’s National
Advisory Council on Domestic Violence. He also recently served
on a Congressionally-created Department of Defense Task Force,
studying the handling of family violence throughout the
Department of Defense. He has authored a host of articles on
domestic violence and is currently writing a book on San Diego’s
twenty year journey to help hurting and violent families through
a comprehensive, coordinated community response.
Casey is the recipient of many awards locally and nationally,
including: the Stephen L. Lewis Lecturer of Merit Award from the
National College of District Attorneys; the Women’s
International Living Legacy Award; the Men’s Leadership Forum
Hometown Hero Award; Sharp Healthcare’s Excellence in Education
Award; the San Diego Press Club’s Diogenes Award; the San Diego
Mediation Center Peacemaker Award; the San Diego Ecumenical
Council’s Christian Unity Award; and the San Diego 10 Leadership
Award.
Casey is a frequent speaker locally and nationally as an expert
on domestic violence intervention and prevention. He has trained
in 47 states, over the last sixteen years, speaking for local,
state, and national law enforcement organizations. More
importantly, Casey has coached seven years of girls fast pitch
softball, three years of Youth basketball, and two years of
Little League.
Casey and his wife, Beth, a teacher, live in the San Diego
suburb of San Carlos with their three children, Kelly (16),
Karianne (15), and Chris (12). He is an honors graduate from
Stanford University and UCLA School of Law. |
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