In Memoriam: Justice Marsha Slough

Justice Marsha G. Slough, who served on California's Fourth District Court of Appeal and was a two-decade veteran of the state judiciary, died on Saturday following an illness. She was 68.

Justice Slough served nearly a decade on the Judicial Council, where she helped lead the branch through the COVID-19 pandemic and helped shape critical branch initiatives, including court technology and pretrial reform.

Said California Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero: "Justice Slough leaves behind a legacy defined by integrity, intellect, and an unwavering devotion to the fair administration of justice. Throughout her career, she brought not only sharp legal judgment but also genuine humanity to her work, qualities that earned her the deep respect of colleagues across the judiciary. Her contributions to the courts will be felt for many years to come.”

Justice Slough was appointed to the Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division Two (Riverside) by Governor Jerry Brown in 2015. She made history as the first openly gay justice on that court.

Over her tenure on the Fourth District, Justice Slough authored 454 opinions, including 55 published opinions.

Before her elevation to the appellate bench, Justice Slough spent more than a decade on the San Bernardino Superior Court, to which she was appointed by Governor Gray Davis in 2003. She went on to serve as presiding judge of the county's juvenile court from 2007 to 2010, and as presiding judge of the entire San Bernardino court from 2012 to 2015.

During her time on the Judicial Council, Justice Slough chaired its Executive and Planning Committee and played a key role in drafting emergency court rules during the COVID-19 pandemic. Those emergency rules helped curb the spread of COVID-19 in California jails, reduced evictions and foreclosures, and encouraged the use of remote technology to maintain access to the courts.

Justice Slough led a statewide Workgroup on Post-Pandemic Initiatives that examined and promoted innovative practices employed by courts during the pandemic. She also chaired the judicial branch’s Pretrial Reform and Operations Workgroup, which launched pretrial pilots that have since grown to include programs in all 58 counties.

“Justice Marsha Slough’s qualities of empathy, intellect, decisiveness, and kindness were apparent to everyone who had the privilege to know and work with her,” said Judicial Council Administrative Director Shelley Curran. “Her public service as a jurist as well as her leadership contributions as a long-serving member of the Judicial Council were rooted in her respect for the humanity of all seeking justice through our court system. Her loss is deeply felt by her friends and colleagues across the branch.”

Said former California Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye, under whom Slough served for much of her Judicial Council tenure: “From presiding judge to justice, Justice Marsha Slough combined astute policies with compassionate leadership. She was instrumental in leading and building the most critical, sensitive, and impactful policies of the Judicial Council. In all of her responsibilities, and they were myriad, she brought her analytical brilliance and collaborative nature. Justice Slough worked tirelessly to improve justice in California, and she wildly succeeded in that endeavor.”

Justice Slough retired from the Fourth District Court of Appeal in 2023, reflecting at the time that "the past 20 years has afforded me the unique privilege of observing firsthand the importance of the rule of law and the true value in a commitment to justice for all."

Justice Slough is survived by her spouse, Jill Sibler.