Judge Jean Dandona

Judge Jean Dandona was born at West Point, New York, and raised in a military family. After graduating from West Anchorage High School, she received a Bachelor of Arts degree (cum laude) and secondary teaching credential from the University of California at Santa Barbara. In 1978 she graduated from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law (Order of the Coif, Thurston Society).

She was a civil litigator for twenty years. In 1999 she became a research attorney for the Santa Barbara Superior Court and was the Santa Barbara supervising research attorney from 2001 to 2008.

Judge Dandona was appointed Judge of the Superior Court in 2008 by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Judge Dandona is currently assigned to a criminal felony trial department. She has previously been assigned to the juvenile justice and dependency courts, the mental health, Veterans and substance use treatment courts, the Incompetent to Stand Trial calendar, and the Appellate Division.