Catherine J. Swysen

SANGER & SWYSEN

CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYERS - CIVIL TRIAL ATTORNEYS

SANTA BARBARA Office: 125 East De La Guerra Street, Suite 102, Santa Barbara, California 93101

SANTA MARIA Office: 301 East Cook Street, Suite A, Santa Maria, California 93454

Santa Barbara:805-962-4887 Santa Maria:805-349-7973 Fax: 805-963-7311

Call, 805-962-4887 (24 hour emergency page after hours) or

		Catherine J. Swysen - born Brussels, Belgium, 1961. Admitted to Practice: 1994, California and U.S. District Court, Southern and Eastern Districts of California; 1995, U.S. District Court, Northern and Central Districts of California. Education: Universite Libre de Bruxelles (B.A., History, 1982 M.A., 1984); Santa Barbara College of Law (J.D., 1994). Member: American Bar Association; California Attorneys for Criminal Justice; Women Defenders; Association of California Deuce Attorneys; Santa Barbara Women Lawyers; Santa Barbara County Bar Association; Santa Barbara Inns of Court, Santa Barbara Criminal Defense Lawyers Bar Association (Co-chair 1996-1998); Federal Bar Association (Past President of the Central. Coast Chapter 2005-2006). Director: Santa Barbara County Bar Association (Current); Barristers Club of Santa Barbara; Death Penalty Focus; Santa Barbara Women's Political Committee. Delegate: lawyer Delegate to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference (2007-2010) Awards: Beulah W. Engelsberg Award, A.C.L.U., 1991; Recognized by the California State Senate and the California State Assembly for Civil Liberties work, 1991. The Lawyer of the Year presented by the Santa Barbara Women's Lawyers Bar Association, 2001. The The Richard Abbe Humanitarian Award presented by the Santa Barbara County Bar for her international relief work, 2009. Languages: French and English. PRACTICE AREAS: Criminal Defense; Civil Rights Litigation; Appellate Practice.
		Ms. Swysen handles felony and misdemeanor criminal cases including murder, death penalty, vehicular manslaughter, embezzlement, theft, drunk driving (DUI, DWI, driving under the influence), domestic violence, assaults, batteries, sex offenses and, regulatory offenses.
		Ms. Swysen also handles civil litigation for the firm, including selected personal injury, civil rights and business cases. She has litigated these cases in state and federal court.
		In addition, Ms. Swysen draws upon her experience as a teacher and former employee of the University to handle educational matters for both students and faculty in administrative and disciplinary matters at the University of California and Santa Barbara City College.