Born in 1944 in New Orleans, Louisiana,[2] Barbier attended West Jefferson High School before receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree from Southeastern Louisiana University in 1966 and a Juris Doctor from Loyola University New Orleans School of Law in 1970.

He was a law clerk to Judge William Redman, Louisiana Court of Appeal, Fourth Circuit from 1969 to 1970, and to Judge Fred James Cassibry of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana from 1970 to 1971.

Barbier was confirmed by the United States Senate on September 28, 1998, and received his commission on October 1, 1998.

[4] On November 14, 2011, Barbier ruled that BP, the company that leased the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, must face federal maritime lawsuits by Alabama and Louisiana.

[5] On September 4, 2014, he further found BP to be grossly negligent in the spill, attributing 67% of the blame to the company.