Barbara J. Miller, the Alameda County Superior Court judge who presided over the contentious UC Berkeley tree-sitter case last year, has died.

Miller, 58, was found in her Glenview home by a relative about 6:15 p.m. Friday, police said, adding that it appeared her death was due to natural causes. An autopsy, however, will be conducted, they said.

Miller was supposed to receive an award from a women's law group Thursday night but told organizers she was too ill to attend the function.

"She was passionate about the law and took her duties very seriously," said Gloria Halman, a retired sergeant for the Alameda County Sheriff's Office who has known Miller since she was a court commissioner in Hayward. "She was a role model for women, very down to earth and just a wonderful, kind, humble person."

Miller presided over the high-profile case brought against UC Berkeley over its plan to build a new athletic training facility next to its football stadium, on a site populated by a grove of oak trees.

The trees were populated by a group of tree sitters who stayed aloft for months in a bid to prevent the trees from being cut down.

Miller issued a preliminary injunction in January 2007 to stop the university from felling the trees and moving forward with construction after the city of Berkeley and other groups sued to stop the expansion. She ended up ruling in the university's favor in June 2008.

Miller practiced law for 10 years

Miller was named trial judge of the year by the Alameda Contra Costa Trial Lawyers' Association for 2001. She also received the Alameda County Bar Association Judicial Distinguished Service Award in 2005. She was appointed to the Judicial Council of California in 2005.

Miller started the first Unified Domestic Violence Court in the county and convened a groundbreaking educational forum that brought together judges, legislators, law enforcement and community groups. After serving many years as the presiding judge in Hayward, Miller had recently transferred to Wiley W. Manuel Courthouse in Oakland, where she presided over criminal cases.

Reach Cecily Burt at 510-208-6441. Check out her blog at www.ibabuzz.com/westside.