On Thursday, April 17, 2025, the California Commission on Judicial Performance announced that Santa Barbara Superior Court Judge Michael J. Carrozzo agreed to a severe public censure and will resign from his position effective September 9, 2025. This resolution comes as part of formal proceedings regarding his conduct in office.
The stipulation reached between Judge Carrozzo and the Commission includes an irrevocable resignation, preventing him from seeking or holding any future judicial roles in California. He will officially take leave from the bench starting June 2, 2025. Carrozzo has previously served as the assistant presiding judge from 2017 to 2018 and as presiding judge from 2019 to 2020.
The commission’s decision highlights several allegations against Carrozzo, primarily involving his misuse of public office. Among the accusations, he is alleged to have represented his then-secretary, who is now his wife, Sara Eklund, in various legal matters. This included sending communications that were misleadingly styled as if they originated from Eklund herself.
Carrozzo reportedly created letterhead identifying him as “Michael J. Carrozzo Attorney at Law” and signed a letter in 2019 to an insurance company, asserting that he represented Eklund in a traffic accident dispute. This action was in direct violation of Canon 4G of the Code of Judicial Ethics, which prohibits judges from practicing law.
The commission noted that during a preliminary investigation in March 2023, Carrozzo suggested that any potential violations were unintentional. However, the commission concluded that he demonstrated willful misconduct, as he should have been aware that his statements were false.
Additional incidents of misconduct were also cited, including an attempt to influence his child’s admission to an elite school by using his official email account to send correspondence that included his judicial title and the court’s seal.
The commission’s report further detailed that Carrozzo utilized his official court email account to exchange numerous personal emails with Eklund. These communications were described as unprofessional and included flirtatious remarks. One email even referred to Eklund as a “hot blondie.” The exchanges also involved planning personal outings and offering Eklund preferential treatment.
In their findings, the commission stated that Carrozzo had invited Eklund to guest lecture on international law at a law school where he taught, offering her compensation for the role. He also encouraged her to accompany him to a meeting with the Santa Barbara Police Chief, believing it would benefit her career.
The correspondence between Carrozzo and Eklund revealed discussions about judicial appointments and evaluations, with Carrozzo making comments regarding Eklund’s influence over judicial officers. They also exchanged negative remarks about court staff and attorneys.
Eklund divorced her then-husband in 2018, shortly before Carrozzo filed for dissolution of his marriage. The couple welcomed a child in July 2020 and subsequently married in the summer of 2021.
Carrozzo was appointed to the bench in 2014 by former Governor Jerry Brown. Prior to his judicial career, he served as an officer in the U.S. Army’s Judge Advocate General’s Corps and worked as a deputy district attorney in Santa Barbara.
A copy of the press release can be found here.
