2011

2011 ANNUAL REPORT z

Office of the San Diego City Attorney The Office of the San Diego City Attorney is among the region’s largest law firms, handling a diverse case load. The City Attorney’s Office advises the Mayor, the City Council and all city departments. The City Attorney’s Office prosecutes criminal cases involving persons charged with violations of the state laws occurring within the city limits of the City of San Diego for misdemeanor offenses and defends or prosecutes law suits to which the City may be a party.

Office of the San Diego City Attorney 1200 Third Avenue, Suite 1620, San Diego, CA 92101

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Table of Contents Criminal Division............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 5 Case Issuance Unit ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5 General Trial Unit………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….11 Appellate Unit……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………18 Domestic Violence Unit…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..20 Community Justice Division………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….26 Neighborhood Prosecution Unit .............................................................................................................................................................................. 26 Consumer & Environmental Protection Unit…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………39 Code Enforcement Unit…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...46 Civil Litigation Division…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………55 Civil Prosecution Unit……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………....55 Workers’ Compensation Unit…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………56 Land Use Litigation Unit………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………57 General Litigation Unit…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…63 Special Litigation Unit………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………..71 Civil Advisory Division………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….76 Government Affairs & Finance Section…………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………………………………………………………77 Public Finance, Securities & Disclosure Section……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..80

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Real Property & Economic Development Section……………………………………………………………………………………………………….………………………………81 Public Works Unit…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……………………….86 Public Safety, Labor, Employment, Special Projects & Training Section………………………………………………………….……………………………………88

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The Department’s Mission Statement is: Integrity matters! We can best help our city by maintaining our integrity,

providing timely, accurate and high quality legal representation to the City of San Diego. We will be firm, independent and professional, stopping illegalities while suggesting solutions. We will never forget that we are accountable to the “people” of San Diego and that we represent the City of San Diego.

City Attorney Jan Goldsmith has been an attorney since 1976 specializing in business litigation. He was appointed San Diego Superior Court Judge in 1998 and retired in December of 2008 to assume the office of San Diego City Attorney. Mr. Goldsmith spent his first six years on the Bench handling criminal and civil trials and his final years assigned to an independent civil calendar.

Executive Assistan