Service on the Santa Barbara Grand Jury

The Constitution of the State of California requires that a Civil Grand Jury be drawn and summoned at least once a year in each county. The Santa Barbara County Civil Grand Jury is a basic part of the government, within the judicial branch. The Civil Grand Jury acts independently, but is under the general control of the Superior Court as an investigatory body created for the protection of society and the enforcement of the law.

The Civil Grand Jury is a delegation of dedicated and caring citizens who applied for the yearlong responsibility of keeping watch over the county’s numerous governmental agencies, institutions, cities, and districts. In 2011 after an annual application, screening, and interviewing process, Travis Gibbons was sworn in to serve on the Santa Barbara County Civil Grand Jury.

 The Civil Grand Jury differs from the Criminal Grand Jury, The Criminal Grand Jury is specially delegated by the District Attorney from the existing jury pool to oversee cases of special circumstance.