[EDC DA's Office]
El Dorado County Deputy District Attorney Lisette Suder has been a prosecutor for over 22 years, but the passion and drive to give back to her community formed at any early age. Growing up in Sacramento as part of a law enforcement family, Ms. Suder always knew she wanted to be a prosecutor. As a child, she sat with her grandmother, a CHP employee, and listened to a police scanner, hoping to hear her uncle, a Sacramento Deputy Sherriff, on air. When she went to college, Ms. Suder founded the Woman's Pre-Law Society at UC Riverside and volunteered at the Riverside County District Attorney's Office. While volunteering, Ms. Suder further recognized the positive impact prosecutors can have on a community by helping victims of crime.
Ms. Suder continued her education at Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles with the goal of being a prosecutor. She began her career at the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, where she worked for 14 years. During that time, she took over 100 felony cases to trial, including attempted murder, murder and serious sex offenses against both adult and child victims. Ms. Suder was designated as a vertical prosecutor in both the Hard Core Gang Unit and the Sex Crimes Unit, assignments reserved for the best trial attorneys in the office.
Ms. Suder moved back to the Sacramento region to be near her family. "As much as I love Los Angeles, I wanted to move back home to be closer to my family. The lifestyle here is hard to beat, especially for raising children. When the opportunity to join the El Dorado District Attorney's Office arose, I jumped at the chance to do what I love for a county that I care deeply about. I feel blessed to have the chance to serve my community by seeking justice on behalf of victims of crime."
El Dorado District Attorney Vern Pierson said, "We were very fortunate to have a prosecutor with Lisette's experience join our office. She is a top-notch trial attorney who works tirelessly to ensure criminals are held accountable for their actions."
During her nine years as a Deputy District Attorney in El Dorado County, Ms. Suder has held a variety of assignments, including the vertical prosecution of sex crimes against both adult and child victims and several high-profile murder cases. Ms. Suder has been a Trial Team Lead and a Special Victim's Unit Lead. Notable cases handled by Ms. Suder include the brutal killing of an El Dorado Hills resident, Joanne Witt, by her 14-year-old daughter and her daughter's adult boyfriend, as well as the prosecution of Todd Winkler for the murder of his wife. She is currently the Team Lead for the Sexual Assault Unit and Team Lead for office-wide training.
Deputy District Attorney Jamie Pesce, who has worked with and been mentored by Ms. Suder said, "Ms. Suder is an exceptional prosecutor who is always willing to share her broad experience and knowledge. I gained invaluable knowledge working with Ms. Suder on sexual assault cases. She is truly an asset to our office."
Ms. Suder lives in El Dorado Hills with her husband of 21 years and their children. Ms. Suder is very active in the community, volunteering as a Debate & Speech instructor, and as a member of both the National Charity League and the local El Dorado Hills Boy's Team Charity. Ms. Suder teaches at the Citizen's Academy and gives presentations to parents and students in the community concerning being safe on-line.
