For the past 40-plus years I have been honored to serve as a judge of the Santa Barbara Superior Court. I have worked hard to serve with integrity, independence, and an unwavering commitment to fairness and the rule of law.
Allow me to share a bit of my personal background with you, the reader. After my college years, I became the lead singer for a popular RCA folk rock group, The Wayfarers. As we toured the country for the first time I was exposed to the rampant racism and prejudice in the southern United States. That deepened my commitment to treat everyone I encountered fairly and with dignity. As a musical group we joined with civil rights leaders to help do our small part to encourage greater freedom and access to areas previously off-limits to people of color.
Eventually, the popularity of folk rock music waned, and I decided to move on and attend law school. After completion of law school I was offered a position as a new and untested lawyer in Santa Barbara, practicing in several areas of the law.
It was not long before I was appointed to serve as a Criminal Court Commissioner, and then in 1982 I was appointed to be a Santa Barbara Superior Court judge by Governor Jerry Brown. I pledged then to treat everyone who appeared before me in my courtroom with dignity and respect, and that is a commitment that I continue to strive for each and every day when I assume the bench.
Since that time I have presided over tens of thousands of criminal, civil, family law, and juvenile court cases during my years of service as a judge. I have handled many homicide trials, other serious criminal court cases, and literally thousands of contested family law matters.
My current court assignment is presiding over the criminal arraignment department where I hear several hundred serious criminal court matters each week. The criminal arraignment department is a defendant’s first court appearance, and I appreciate that is undoubtedly a frightening and life-changing experience for anyone to have to go through. I take the necessary first time to explain their legal rights to everyone who appears before me, including their right to be represented by an attorney and their right to have their legal matter proceed in a speedy and efficient manner.
To my way of thinking the criminal arraignment department is perhaps the most important courtroom because that is where a defendant can feel that they are being treated fairly and justly, and that their personal case is very important, not only for them, but also for me, the judge who is hearing the case.
I have been honored to have served as presiding judge of the Superior Court on three different occasions, as well as having presided over both the family law court and the juvenile court divisions at different times. I helped shape programs that continue to strengthen our community, including starting California’s very first Teen Court program which is now a model in the nation, to the innovative “Children in the Middle” program for families going through divorce transition. I was also instrumental in establishing the Santa Barbara CASA program, which advocates for abused and neglected children in foster care situations. I am honored to have been the recipient of the Santa Barbara Legal Aid Foundation’s “Richard Goldman Heroes for Justice Award” and the Santa Barbara Bar Association’s “Judicial Excellence Award,” the two highest honors these organizations bestow upon judges.
I sincerely believe that every person who enters a courtroom deserves to have their matter heard with patience, dignity, and in a timely manner. I invite one and all to come spend a day in the criminal arraignment court with me, Judge Adams. I would predict that your visit would be an eye opening opportunity to see our criminal justice system at work. I would be honored to have your vote on June 2.
