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Stephen Ernest Penner
About Stephen
Biography
Stephen E. Penner graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1971 with a Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Mathematics. After graduation, he served in the Vietnam War as a Gunnery Officer on the USS Turner Joy from 1971-1973. Upon his return stateside, Stephen completed his remaining two years of Naval Service in San Diego as First Division Officer on the USS Prairie, as Shore Patrol Officer for Long Beach Naval Station, and instructed Naval Gunfire Support to the Marines in Little Creek, Virginia. Upon completion of his Naval Duty in 1975, Stephen E. Penner attended California Western School of Law. After 2 vigorous years, Steve graduated with a Juris Doctor Degree from Cal Western in 1977. He passed the Bar that same year and moved to Santa Barbara to open up his first law office and has been in private practice ever since.
From 1977-1990, Stephen built up his practice and expanded his client base by primarily working on Criminal Defense, Family Law, and Personal Injury cases. With the help of a dedicated staff, Stephen expanded his practice to include Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Litigation, Bankruptcy, Civil Litigation, Real Estate, and Product Liability claims.
Penner & Purves have represented over 8,000 clients in the Tri-Counties and offer a multitude of legal expertise. For nearly 35 years the firm has been dedicated to serving the community by offering personal representation with a commitment to professional integrity. Penner & Purves offers representation that is result-oriented, and reasonably priced.
Practice Areas
4
Practice Areas
Family
50%
49 years
Estate Planning
20%
49 years
General Practice
20%
49 years
Criminal Defense
10%
49 years
Fees and Rates
Cost
Payment Methods
- Cash
- Check
- Credit Card
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Chat withLicenses
Licensed in California for 48 years
State: California
Acquired: 1977
Lawyer disciplined by state licensing authority in 1990
Location
Penner & Purves, PC
1215 De La Vina St Ste K, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101
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Stephen Ernest Penner's Reviews
Avvo Review Score
27 Client Reviews
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Practice Areas
Family (7)
Criminal Defense (5)
Lawsuits & Disputes (5)
Estate Planning (4)
Business (3)
Child Custody (3)
Divorce & Separation (2)
Domestic Violence (2)
Trusts (2)
Wills & Living Wills (2)
Contracts & Agreements (1)
Elder Law (1)
Employment & Labor (1)
Insurance (1)
Juvenile (1)
Personal Injury (1)
Probate (1)
Real Estate (1)
Violent Crime (1)
What Clients Mention
Showing 1 - 1 of 1 review | Elder Law
Posted by Suzann | October 16, 2014 | Elder Law
Elder Abuse
Attorney Penner and his staff, Noel and Sara, have been assisting my elderly father with obtaining domestic violence restraining orders against his emotionally and physically abusive partner. Recently, the situation escalated and the partner's conduct evolved into elder abuse. Mr. Penner and his st...
Stephen Ernest Penner's Lawyer Endorsements
"Attorney Stephen E. Penner is extremely competent, experienced and hard-working. I have worked together with him on cases for over 30 years, and he has always obtained exceptional results with optimal client satisfaction. We have worked together on complex cases involving a huge amounts of legal research and preparation. He has been a pleasure to work with, and has always been extremely conscientious and considerate of the clients' needs and interests. John Henry Hunter, Esq."
"I endorse this lawyer. Family law is not easy. That is why I do not do it. Steve has the patience to listen to the complaints and work to find a solution. Not many lawyers can do that."
"I endorse this lawyer wholeheartedly after knowing and watchng him practice law for 35+ years. He is not afraid to take on the difficult cases and when he does, the diligence and committment that I have seen devoted to such cases is impressive. He has fought for justice against the largest corporations for product defects and in other areas of the law, where his client has suffered grievously from fraud or some other kind civil wrong, he has gone the distance and usually won. In another recent case, he prevailed on behalf of grandparents who were denied visitation with their grandchildren when they would be the only stable influence in the children's lives. I have noted how Steve has become more selective in the cases he accepts and now realize how this has allowed him to go the extra mile in the sometimes very difficult cases that he does accept. If you have Steve Penner as your attorney, you will be in very good and competent hands. I recommend him highly.l"
"Mr. Penner is an excellent trial lawyer, family law practitioner, and regularly and capably handles trust and estate matters. He and I recently worked together on a Will Contest during which he successfully presented our case at trial, and we prevailed. I wholeheartedly endorse Mr. Penner"
"I endorse this lawyer. Stephen Penner is extremely experienced and represents his clients diligently and effectively."
Steve Balash
Criminal defense lawyer
Tracey Cruz
Family lawyer
Dana Longo
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Bradford Brown
Personal injury lawyer
John Hunter
Class action lawyer
Glenn Dorfman
Personal injury lawyer
Experience
Professional misconduct
This lawyer was disciplined by a state licensing authority in 1990.
Discipline with Actual Suspension issued in CA, 1990
updated on 01/20/2016This sanction means the attorney lost his or her license to practice law for a period of time. The attorney typically returns to practicing law when the suspension expires.
Discipline with Actual Suspension issued in CA, 1986
updated on 01/20/2016This sanction means the attorney lost his or her license to practice law for a period of time. The attorney typically returns to practicing law when the suspension expires.
Honors
2007
Annual Award, Vietnam Veterans of America
1998
Trial Lawer, Santa Clara Bar Association
Work Experience
1977 - Present
Senior Attorney, The Law Offices of Stephen E. Penner, PC
Associations
2004 - Present
La Tierra Owners AssociationPresident & In-House Legal Counsel
1995 - Present
Vietnam Veterans of AmericaMember
1992 - Present
Military Order of World Wars (MOWW)Member
1977 - Present
Santa Barbara County Bar AssociationMember
2012 - 2013
Veterans Coordinating CouncilPresident
2005 - 2005
National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy AttorneysMember
2005 - 2010
Military Order of World Wars (MOWW)Judge Advocate
2004 - 2008
Santa Ynez Valley HoundsPresident
2000 - 2002
California Public Defenders AssociationMember
1992 - 1994
Santa Barbara County Riding ClubPresident
1988 - 1995
Hearts Therapeutic Equestrian CenterLegal Counsel
Sample of Legal Cases
Grandparent Visitation
Grandparent Visitation Awarded to Paternal Grandmother
Education
1977
California Western School of Law
JD - Juris Doctor
1971
U S Naval Academy
BS - Bachelor of Science
Speaking Engagements
2014
US Government Class
Guest lecturer at Dos Pueblos High School
2014
U.S Government Class
Guest lecturer at Santa Barbara High School
2014
U.S Government Class
Guest lecturer at San Marcus High School
2013
Legality of Vietnam War on religion and government
Guest lecturer at University California Santa Barbara
2012
U. S Government class
Guest lecturer at Carpinteria High School
2012
Legality of Vietnam War on religion and government
Guest lecturer at University California Santa Barbara
2005
Santa Barbara Bench/Bar Conference
Stress Management for Lawyers
Publications
2014
Santa Barbara Lawyer Magazine
Grandparents Have Visitation Rights, Too
1986
Santa Barbara NewsPress
Sandinista Government & Law in Nicaragua
Languages
English
Activity
Legal Answers
Legal Answers
Q&A
Court fee for summary dissolution is $435 for each spouse or $435 for both the spouses?
03 Nov 2014
Q&A
Do you have to serve a restraining order in person or can you mail it. What is the process in regards to a restraining order.
03 Nov 2014
Q&A
Is joint custody automatic? Until a court orders custody a certain way, do both parents have equal rights to have equal custody?
03 Nov 2014