The Hon. Carrie McIntyre Panetta is a judge for the Monterey County Superior Court in California. She was appointed to the Monterey County bench by former Governor Jerry Brown in 2013. She filled the vacancy created by the retirement of the Hon. Terrance R. Duncan (Ret.). At the time of her appointment to the bench in Monterey County, Judge Panetta had served as a judge for the Alameda County Superior Court since 2007. During her tenure in Alameda County, Judge Panetta was appointed to serve as a criminal executive judge in 2011, holding the distinction of being the first female in Alameda County to hold that position. She was appointed to the Alameda County bench by former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Judge Panetta graduated with her B.A. in political science from the University of North Dakota. She went on to earn her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1992.
After law school, Panetta joined the law firm of Brobeck, Phleger, and Harrison LLP, where she practiced as an associate for six years. During her tenure there, Panetta practiced in the firm's business litigation department.
She then left private practice to work as a deputy district attorney with the Alameda County District Attorney's Office in 1999. She was serving in that capacity when then-Governor Schwarzenegger appointed her to the Alameda County Superior Court.
During her tenure in Monterey County, Judge Panetta has presided in the Felony Trial Department.
Her move to the Monterey County Superior Court from Alameda stemmed from an effort to be closer to her husband and two children. Her husband, Jimmy Panetta, who is the son of Leon Panetta, former chief of staff to President Bill Clinton, was working as a deputy district attorney with the Monterey County District Attorney at the time.
Judge Panetta grew up in Rugby, North Dakota.