Philip Champlin
September 1, 1939 - February 23, 2023
Retired Napa Superior Court Judge Philip AD Champlin passed away on February 23, 2023 from congestive heart failure. Judge Champlin was born on Sept. 1, 1939 at Annapolis, Maryland. He retired from the Napa bench in 2000 after nearly 23 years of service on the Napa Courts. After retirement, he continued to serve in the Chief Justice’s Assigned Judges Program until 2021. He was the son of RAdm. Jackson S. Champlin, U.S.N. (Ret.) and Betty Trotter Champlin, who predeceased him. He was a direct descendent of Mayflower passengers John Howland and Elizabeth Tilley and of Brigham Young and Mary
Ann Angel Young. After graduating from Yale University and the University of California School of Law at Berkeley (Boalt Hall), he came to Napa to start his legal career in 1965. He joined the venerable law firm of Coombs, Dunlap, and Dunlap, which later became Coombs, Dunlap, Dunlap, and Champlin, where he remained until being appointed to the Napa Municipal Court in 1977. He subsequently was appointed to the Napa Superior court in 1979. While a lawyer, Judge Champlin served as the part time City Attorney of Yountville, as a deputy City Attorney of Napa and was an elected Trustee of the Napa Valley Community College District for 10 years. He was active in many community organizations including the Napa Rotary Club and the Boy Scouts of America. He was awarded the Silver Beaver for his service to the Boy Scouts and was named as the Napa Chamber of Commerce/ KVON Citizen of the Year in 1986.
During his career on the bench, Champlin participated with his judicial colleagues in Napa in implementing many programs, which resulted in the Napa courts being recognized as among the best in California. In addition, he chaired the Governing Board of the California Center for Judicial Education and Research (CJER), served as Vice-President and two term Executive Board member of the California Judges Association, and was appointed by the Chief Justice of California as a member of the California Judicial Council. After retirement, he continued to serve as an assigned judge and was again appointed by the Chief Justice to chair the Assigned Judges Advisory Committee. Champlin served on and chaired numerous other Judicial Council committees and was one of the leaders in the successful effort to unify the State’s trial courts.
He enjoyed traveling, as well as motorcycles, old cars, hunting, fishing, and boating. He and his wife Lynne recently traveled around the world by cruise ship and once traveled to Alaska on their Harley Davidson motorcycle. Phil and Lynne are also known for their contribution to the acquisition and restoration of “1211 Division Street” in the early 1970’s where the Napa law firm of Coombs and Dunlap is still located, and their recent restoration of a 148 year old bungalow in Old Town.
Judge Champlin is survived by his wife of 55 years, Lynne Champlin, their two adult children Christopher Champlin (Janna) of Roseville, CA and Catherine Eisele (Alex) of St. Helena, CA, and his grandchildren Cooper and Samantha Champlin and Simon and Tristan Eisele.