David O. Carter
US district judge in the Central District of California.
Commissioned on 22 October 1998 after nomination by President Bill Clinton, David O. Carter joined the federal bench following service on municipal and superior courts in Orange County, California.
Last refreshed: 22 October 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Timeline for David O. Carter
Took the case on 21 October
US Midterms 2026: DOJ seeks to freeze 20,000 mail ballotsBackground
David O. Carter serves on the United States District Court for the Central District of California. President Bill Clinton nominated him in June 1998, and the Senate confirmed him that October. His federal commission followed on 22 October. Before that appointment, he served on Orange County's municipal court and then the Superior Court of California in the same county.
Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Carter studied at the University of California, Los Angeles, earning his undergraduate degree there in 1967 and his law degree in 1972. He then worked as a prosecutor in Orange County before becoming a state judge. His [Federal Judicial Center biography](https://www.fjc.gov/history/judges/carter-david-o) also records service on the centre's board from 2007 to 2011, alongside his district-court duties.
Reference
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Written with AI from Lowdown's published reporting. Not individually reviewed by an editor. Updated 22 October 2026. Editorial standards.