
Career Highlights: Elevated by unification to Santa Barbara Superior Court, 1998-present; elected commissioner by judges of Santa Barbara Municipal Court, 1987-98; deputy district attorney, Santa Barbara County, 1981-87; staff attorney, Defenders Inc., San Diego, 1979-81
Law School: UC San Diego School of Law
SANTA BARBARA -- In his 18 years on the bench, Commissioner Edward DeCaro has heard some doozies from people hauled in to court on outstanding warrants for failing to show up.
But none tops the one given by a traffic violator who told DeCaro he missed his scheduled appearance because he was dead.
On that particular morning, traffic court, as usual, was packed.
From his perch, DeCaro could look out at the sea of faces, mostly dozing or staring off into... (continued)