Government

Board Appoints Summer Stephan Interim District Attorney

Chief Deputy District Attorney Summer Stephan appointed Interim District Attorney by the County Board of Supervisors. She is seen here at a 2016 sex trafficking news conference.
Reading Time: < 1 minute

The Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to appoint current Chief Deputy District Attorney Summer Stephan as interim District Attorney. She will replace District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis when she retires July 7.

The job is an elected post, but since Dumanis is retiring 18 months before her term ends, the Board is required to appoint an interim.

At the June 20 hearing, the Board interviewed and reviewed the qualifications of three applicants: Stephan and former deputy district attorneys Adam Gordon and Gregory Walden. The Board members then voted to narrow down finalists. Supervisors could pick multiple candidates, and any candidate with three votes would proceed to a second hearing. Stephan garnered five votes, Walden got two votes and Gordon received one vote.

Since Stephan was the only finalist, the Board then voted 4-1, with Vice Chair Kristin Gaspar opposed, to appoint her immediately rather than hold a scheduled meeting on June 27 to review finalists and make its selection final.

Watch video of complete hearing

Stephan has served as a deputy district attorney in the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office for 27 years holding positions such as assistant chief, chief of the North County Branch, and chief of the Sex Crimes and Human Trafficking Division. She was appointed chief deputy district attorney in 2012. She has tried over 100 jury trials involving sexual assaults or homicides, human trafficking, child abuse or molestation, and a school shooting, according to her biography.

Dumanis is retiring after serving as District Attorney for almost 15 years. The Office of the District Attorney prosecutes felony crimes countywide and misdemeanor crimes in 18 cities and the unincorporated areas.

Yvette Urrea Moe is a communications specialist with the County of San Diego Communications Office. Contact