Meet Santa Barbara’s Gen Z Grand Juror

Grand Jury Members Come from All Walks of Life

At 25 years old, Ryan Brown is the youngest sitting grand juror for Santa Barbara County. | Credit: Elijah Valerjev

Though most members of a grand jury have a long experience in work and career behind them, Ryan Brown breaks all the stereotypes; he’s a 25-year-old Santa Barbaran who graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a degree in anthropology in 2022.

“Joining the jury was a choice definitely made off the beaten track,” said Brown. “I was trying to gain some unique experience.”

Brown has an interest in the law, currently interning with Ventura County Legal Aid after a job as a clerk with law firm Mullen & Henzell in Santa Barbara. He’s awaiting decisions from law schools and has already gained acceptances to a few of the “T14,” or Top 14 group of law schools in the country. He applied to be a grand juror last year when his grandfather told him applications were open after hearing about it on the local news.

The grand jury operates as a “citizen’s watchdog,” investigating and shedding light on issues county-wide complaints with their reports that stem from a variety of corresponding citizens. The jury will typically consider looking into roughly 30 cases, narrowing that number down to around 10 cases to investigate and report on during their one-year term. The selection process is rigorous. They interview people related to each complaint and take field trips as a group to visit locations.

Past grand juries, ranging from the 2003-04 term (bottom right) to the 2023-24 term (middle top). | Credit: Elijah Valerjev

Nineteen citizens in the county are chosen for each grand jury. For each case, the work is divided among six committees, of which members typically join three — justice and public safety; health, education, and welfare; planning and development; finance; cities; and special districts. Brown is a member of the criminal justice committee, the jury’s IT coordinator, and chairs the editing group. He dedicates up to 30 hours a week to the work.

Most interesting to Brown are the weekly speakers, such as the district attorney, sheriff, or public defender, who discuss local issues to broaden the jury’s perspective. For instance, the jury recently spoke with the county fire chief to learn about issues and possible fears with the prescriptive fires in Southern California. The grand jury also visits different cities to learn what might be important in those locations.

After concluding their findings, the jury publishes a report that lists recommendations, usually to specific county agencies. The responsible agency must formally respond and the jury reports are official documents that can be referenced in county decisions. Past reports have addressed weighty topics like deaths in custody. In that report, the grand jury revealed the lack of safety methods in the county jail that may have led to the deaths.

The grand jury meets in chambers in the courthouse to deliberate the cases and bring interviewees in their investigative research. | Credit: Elijah Valerjev

Brown recommended joining the grand jury, regardless of background or age, for anybody who wants to learn more about the county and improve their community. The criteria are that a person be a citizen, 18 years or older, a resident of the county for more than a year, be of ordinary intelligence and good character, and a working knowledge of English. They are ineligible if they served on a jury in the past 12 months, is an elected public official, or has been convicted of a felony.

The jury has examined itself on occasion, most recently in a 2023-24 report that looked at the demographics of 142 applicants. Between 2021 and 2024, the report found, 124 applicants were older than 55 years in age, and 109 were white. As a juror, Ryan Brown clearly captures a step toward a grand jury that better represents county residents.

“Despite the age difference, I made some really good friends,” Brown said. Though the next youngest member is 50 years old, Brown had no problem fitting in.

“Brown is an excellent juror,” said Dale Kunkel, foreperson of the 2024-25 grand jury and former professor of Communication at UC Santa Barbara. Few young people applied this past term, so Brown’s commitment helped to broaden their perspective, he said.

“Brown is a blessing. He listens to both sides calmly, and he comes forward with these honest statements,” said Gwen Rigby, who once taught English as a second language at Santa Barbara Community College. She’s spent a cumulative 24 years on the grand jury. “He’s very astute — not critical at all,” she said, adding that Brown brought energy to the grand jury.

Rigby commented that a more diverse jury provided an opportunity for greater perspective. Brown agreed, after seeing the interchange between people who’ve been doctors, lawyers, and professors as they took on complicated information and connected it to their experience. He noted how being on the jury challenged members to build upon skills such as oral argument, negotiating between parties, and accommodating different communication styles.

“I have certainly become more open-minded and I think that’s a valuable thing,” said Brown.

Applications for the next grand jury can be found on the sbcgj.org website. The deadline is May 5, 2025.