Tim Ward
TULARE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY
Tim Ward joined the Office of the District Attorney, Tulare County, in 1999. He worked several assignments, including the Felony Trial Team, Juvenile, Agricultural Crime, Porterville Division, and Homicides. In 2005, he was promoted to Supervising Deputy District Attorney leading the Juvenile, Porterville, and Operations Divisions. In 2011, he was promoted to Assistant District Attorney. Tim has served as District Attorney since 2012.
As District Attorney, Tim has developed the Crimes Against Children Unit, created the Human Trafficking Task Force, and has brought the first Courthouse Comfort dog to Tulare County. While these achievements reflect his unending commitment to victims of crime, he also is committed to continuous improvement.
Tim instituted the first Public Information Officer in order to communicate with the community about the important work being done by this Office on their behalf. He has expanded the efforts of the Digital Forensic Evidence Unit to better serve local law enforcement and has developed the first dedicated Cold Case Homicide unit, consisting of a prosecutor and two criminal investigators.
Tim has worked hard to bring a new office to the South Valley. The Office of the District attorney will now have a full service location on Main Street in Downtown Porterville. Programs such as Veteran’s Court, Ag Crimes, the Victim’s Quilt Ceremony, and Mental Health Court remain staunchly supported by Tim as he charts new paths as District Attorney.
Since 2017, Tim has served on the California District Attorneys Association Board of Directors and currently serves as board president. Locally, Tim also serves on the College of Sequoia’s Legal Advisory Committee for the Pathways to Law School Program.
Tim is a 1988 graduate of the University of Tennessee with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Education. After completing an Army ROTC scholarship, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in 1988 and served at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California. He held various positions, including Tank Platoon Leader, Tank Company Executive Officer and Scout Platoon Leader before he was promoted to Captain in 1992. After his service in the United States Army, Tim earned his Juris Doctor from Western State University College of Law in Fullerton, California.
