Born June 1, 1940, in Iowa City, Iowa, Judge Adams moved to the Oregon coast in 1952. While studying at Willamette University in Oregon, he and three fraternity brothers began a recording career with R.C.A. Victor Records. For several years they recorded and toured internationally as a folk-singing group "The Wayfarers". In 1965 Judge Adams returned to his studies at California State University Northridge and then completed his legal studies at California Western School of Law where he was Associate Editor of the Law Journal. In 1976 he became the first Commissioner of the Santa Barbara Municipal Court by Governor Brown. A past recipient of the County Bar's "Distinguished Service Award" Judge Adams started the "Teen Court" program and was instrumental in establishing the "Children in the Middle" program for divorcing parents.