INTERVIEW WITH MAGISTRATE JUDGE MICHELLE M. PETTIT

Interview conducted by Jenn French

The Southern District of California appointed Judge Pettit in July 2023. Before joining the bench, she worked as an assistant U.S. attorney for more than 15 years, prosecuting several areas of crime including national security and cybercrime, fraud, drug-trafficking, and child exploitation. Judge Pettit received a Bachelor of Science with distinction from the United States Naval Academy and graduated from Vanderbilt University Law School in 2001.

In this interview, Judge Pettit describes her path to the federal bench, her experience as an appellate and trial judge in the military, and her views on what makes a successful advocate. This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

Q: LET’S START WITH YOUR BACKGROUND AND THE TRANSITIONS THAT YOU’VE HAD IN YOUR CAREER. YOUR EXPERIENCE IN THE NAVY SEEMS TO HAVE IMPACTED EVERYTHING THAT FOLLOWED.