Retired Santa Barbara Superior Court Judge James Slater died on June 30, 2026 after a long illness.
It is such a challenge trying to capture the essence of Jim and even begin to do justice to his story.
His life followed a remarkable and varied path, shaped by compassion for others, innate intelligence, and more than a spark of determination from growing up in the Bronx, New York.
He was born in 1938, and so much of what we know about his early life is from the many colorful stories about growing up in this ethnically diverse city. He always remained a stalwart fan of New York City and, of course, the New York Yankees.
Jim worked his way through multiple jobs to get through school and earn a BA from Iona College. The jobs he held from grammar school through college could have filled a book:
Driving an ice cream truck; working as a steel worker; operating an elevator in the gem district (complete with uniform and hat); working on the New Jersey docks; driving a NYC cab; and serving as a security guard in an amusement park, to name a few.
Jim’s stories of growing up were filled with memories of horse-drawn green grocers; rag collectors with their singsong chant “I buy old clothes;” umbrella repair and knife-sharpening vendors; Italian bakeries; and Jewish delis.
He would willingly give up his bus money to buy a piece of smoked whitefish and walk the distance home.
Jim then traveled to the Midwest to attend law school at the University of Notre Dame, and he retained his bonds to that university his entire life.
He earned his law degree in 1964. One of his friends would tell him stories about the beauty of California, and that is where he headed to take the California Bar, and then bring his young wife Betty and their child Michael to live in Santa Barbara.
That was a monumental move from a big city to such a quiet town in California, but he fell in love with Santa Barbara and never looked back.
Jim worked in the District Attorney’s Office and then in private practice.
He ran for Third District supervisor on the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors and served for six years, guided by his strong opposition to big oil and untethered development, and his commitment to environmental oversight.
Jim ran for Municipal Court judge in 1977 and was later appointed to Superior Court in 1982 by Gov. Jerry Brown. He devoted 20 years to being a judge before retiring from the Superior Court bench in 1997.
Jim then began a new chapter in his life, moving into a career in private mediation and arbitration. His tenure in the private sector ultimately lasted longer than his 20 years on the bench, with his final, lengthy arbitration settling in 2024.
As a judge, Jim was known for being fair and compassionate, and he never stopped viewing all people appearing before him as human beings deserving of his attention and his consideration.
Jim married Marian in 1998, and they began almost 28 years of traveling the world, visiting more than 35 countries. Their life was filled with family and friends, and he remained deeply connected to his six children and 11 grandchildren.
Jim is survived by his children Michael Slater (Laurel), and their daughters Sarah, Mollie and Katie; Beth Dowd (Brian) and their sons Drew and Luke; Susan O’Toole (Jim) and their daughter Ferrin; and Matt Slater (Betsy), and their son Noah. He was predeceased by Susan and Jim O’Toole’s son Cormac.
Jim is also survived by Marian’s daughters Metta Grokenberger and her children JD and Emma; and Callie Grokenberger Bennett (Jeremy) and their daughter Jac.
Jim’s wonderful, blended family would gather over the years for holiday weekends they called “Thanksmas,” and enjoyed so many trips and visits together. His sense of humor and remarkable spirit will be missed by many.
A celebration of Jim’s life will be held later this summer at the University Club of Santa Barbara. All are welcome to share their stories and memories of Jim.