Gustavo L. Martinez, City Attorney

Executive Profile & Responsibilities

As City Attorney, Gustavo L. Martinez serves as the chief legal officer for the City of Sacramento, directing the office’s administration and managing its comprehensive legal operations. In this executive capacity, Mr. Martinez protects the City’s legal interests, enhances public safety, and advances strategic municipal initiatives across four core areas of governance. He acts as the chief legal advisor to the City’s elected leadership and executive administration to ensure operational compliance, mitigate risk, and safeguard public assets.

Beyond his advisory role, Mr. Martinez oversees the defense and prosecution of civil actions in state and federal courts, managing complex tort, labor, and constitutional claims to protect municipal resources. Notably, his office fulfills a vital public safety mandate by serving as the City Prosecutor, directing the criminal prosecution of municipal code infractions and misdemeanors while partnering with community safety teams to aggressively mitigate public nuisances and neighborhood security threats.

Furthermore, he directs the development, review, and standardization of municipal ordinances, resolutions, public contracts, and legal instruments to ensure structural integrity and compliance with state and federal law.

Background and Experience

Mr. Martinez brings 29 years of dedicated municipal law experience to his leadership role. His career with the Sacramento City Attorney’s Office spans nearly three decades of progressive advancement and public service.

He joined the office in 1997 as a Deputy City Attorney and was promoted to Supervising Deputy City Attorney in 2003, and later to Chief Assistant City Attorney in December 2023.  The Sacramento City Council appointed him City Attorney on February 10, 2026.

Mr. Martinez began his tenure in the Advisory Division, where he prosecuted code enforcement violations, developed specialized training programs for enforcement officers, and drafted foundational legislation to broaden and strengthen the City's regulatory capabilities. He later transitioned to the Litigation Section, where he defended and prosecuted a diverse portfolio of civil cases—including complex torts, civil rights violations, labor and employment disputes, and breach of contract actions—successfully managing multiple jury and bench trials.

Prior to his executive appointments, Mr. Martinez supervised the legal teams providing counsel to the Community Development Department and the Sacramento Police Department. In this capacity, he spearheaded critical neighborhood preservation initiatives, collaborated closely with Problem-Oriented Policing teams to combat criminal and social nuisance activity, and partnered with the Justice for Neighbors program to systematically address the city's most critical public safety and security threats.

Professional Affiliations

Deeply committed to the local community and the legal profession, Mr. Martinez maintains active leadership and involvement in several civic and charitable organizations. He currently serves on the board of directors for the Mexican Cultural Center of Northern California and is a former board member of the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

His professional memberships include the Cruz Reynoso Bar Association, the St. Thomas More Society, and the California District Attorneys Association.

Education

Mr. Martinez earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from California State University, Chico in 1990.

He received his Juris Doctor from the Santa Clara University School of Law in 1994, paving the way for his lifelong career in public agency law and municipal service.