The San Luis Obispo County Bar Association is committed to the mission of promoting the honor and dignity of the legal profession, fostering the highest professional standards, encouraging collegiality, educating the public and advancing the fair and effective administration of justice in our community. Public confidence in the impartiality of our justice system is essential to those goals.
In recent days, concerns have been raised in the community about statements made by an elected legal official. While the S.L.O.C.B.A. does not take positions on political matters or evaluate individual officeholders, they recognize that the words of those entrusted with prosecutorial authority carry significant weight. Statements that may reasonably be perceived as targeting individuals or groups based on faith, background, or ideology risk undermining the appearance of fairness that is foundational to the administration of justice.
The S.L.O.C.B.A. reaffirms that all legal professionals, particularly those in positions of public authority, must conduct themselves in a manner that promotes confidence in the integrity, impartiality and independence of the justice system. The appearance of bias can diminish trust, impede effective advocacy and burden the work of attorneys on all sides of the system.
They encourage all members of the legal community to be mindful of how public communications may affect the people they serve and the institutions they represent. The principles of fairness, equality and respect are not political values, they are professional obligations. The justice system functions best when every person can expect impartial treatment and when every attorney, prosecutor or defender, can do their work without the shadow of perceived bias.
The S.L.O.C.B.A. remains committed to supporting an equitable and trustworthy justice system for all who live and work in San Luis Obispo County.
This statement was made pursuant to a majority vote of a quorum of The S.L.O.C.B.A. Board of Directors at a duly called Special Meeting, with no Judicial Officials or members of the District Attorney’s office present or voting, and does not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of any one S.L.O.C.B.A. Board member.