Santa Barbara Public Defender - Santa Barbara, California

Pedro Banos

Mr. Mathis, I hope you take the time to read this because I am filing a formal complaint against you and the Santa Barbara Public Defender's Office. Back in 2019/2020, you failed to take my case seriously. You claimed there was evidence that I had shown up at the victim's workplace and home. I denied those allegations and specifically requested video surveillance from the victim’s home to prove she was lying. Despite this, you seemed completely uninterested in helping me. Months were wasted, and ultimately, I was pressured into pleading guilty to the charges.

Now, in 2024/2025, I have come to learn that the victim was an intern at the Public Defender's Office during that time. This, to me, is a clear conflict of interest. I am left to wonder: how much influence did she have on the handling of my case?

manny mamalumpong

i have history at work what happen to me there.i am Muslim from Philippines i have wife 4 kids,if any can help me to file case.i did compliant couple times in EEO. i am victim discrimination and harassment .
thank you

Alliza Wade

The court system itself is one story, but I'm rating based on my experience with public defender Agassi Bagramyan. He really cared about my case. He saw that the domestic violence charges against me and the case itself were victimizing the wrong person, and I had only defended myself from physical and psychological abuse. He worked with me (might I add from 130 miles away) and was very encouraging. He presented me with alternative approaches to my case and investigated any questions or concerns I had. As my case was set to go to trial, he was quite confident we would win, but cared enough about the stress it would inflict on my family and I (130 mile drive plus the financial burden of a hotel for a week, plus dealing with the trauma all over again) to provide me with alternatives. I appreciated his concern so much, but ultimately decided to go forth with the trial. He thoroughly prepared me for questioning and cross examination. He put forth several motions for dismissal and to portray how wrong it was that I was being criminalized, and at the last minute, half way through jury selection, his argument in my favor must have caught the right eye or opened someone's eyes and my case was DISMISSED! Mr. Bagramyan is very professional, thorough, intelligent, and cares about his work. He definitely has my utmost appreciation! A huge thank you to Agassi Bagramyan and his colleagues as well!

Adam Cordova

I don’t feel like going into details, all is way too fresh. These attorneys just saved me from not being able to pursue the only career path I know, the high possibility of me becoming homeless and the unknown possibilities that could occur from there, I’m still young as well. Nothing great comes over night, understand they want to help you but it won’t be a snap of the finger because that’s not how the system operates. They continued to subconsciously fulfill me with the idea, If I’m willing to move forward....they’re willing to move forward. They won’t regret the outcome and neither will the District Attorney, regarding myself. To maximize the potential success in your case from my own experience: Be honest, be honest, be honest, if you don’t know say you don’t know. Stay on topic of discussion unless relevant..Do not waste their time if you don’t want yours to be wasted. If you don’t understand what information or documents is necessary to take the next step, to not waste theirs or your time, ask them. No words can really explain how much I appreciate the amount of effort you 3 presented to justify me. Thank you to: Miriam Zarraga, Sam, Brian.
-Adam Cordova

Cynthia Lynn

At a change of plea hearing on a felony case, the prosecutor added "and you will be pleading to the misdemeanor case," I had no idea that was the DUI I received a year and a 1/2 ago and was booked for driving as under the influence of alcohol, even though I blew a BAC of 0.00 and the blood test came back negative for alcohol. Worse, the court also said, "and now we have the misdemeanor case, Mr. Williamson" (my PD) "we would like to enter no contest, your honor." Wait, wasn't I supposed to enter my own plea, and what misdemeanor case? And to the priors? asked the court. The two back to back DUI almost 10 years ago? Only months before they are removed from my driving record. K.C. Williamson, "We plead no contest to those as well." Priors? Oh, no he wouldn't, but he did. Without telling me the plea offer I accepted included pleading no contest to a DUI Alcohol when I had no alcohol in my system, and plead no contest to two prior DUIs when within a few months they would be 10 years old. My license has been revoked, worse the public defender's office refuses to represent me in court to correct the wrongful conviction.

For two years I called PD K.C. Williamson leaving messages on his voicemail asking for my case file. He never called me back. I was furious not knowing why he didn't tell me the entire plea offer. Before the end of the first year, my messages were acerbic, hateful and filled with expletives. Instead of sending me the case file, he filed charges against me and the SBPD did an investigation that is filled with lies that Mr. Williamson told. Based on that the SBPD recommended to the Merced DA that a charge of criminal threats should be filed. When we went to court, they had to withdraw the charge after I gave my lawyer copies of the emails I kept from his Superior as well as other factual evidence proving Mr. Williamson lied to the detectives conducting the investigation. How much money did Mr. Williamson cost both S.B. and Merced? Thousands of dollars for not upholding the standards of the Public Defender's Office. An error becomes a mistake when it's not corrected. Shame on Williamson, shame on the Public Defender's Office for not correcting the error that has taken my driver's license. When I do get pulled over for driving on a revoked license, only then I will have my day in court?

Deborah Marie Templeton

Mark Owens is one really nice man he's honest hard working greets you with a smile he works for the people !

jim eaton

I was in trouble broke, and these guys help me I give them 100%

Aaron Marcus

This office has given me better help than lawyers who got considerably more money and have more reputational clout. If your public defender cares to help you, they are good at what they do.