The son of future California Supreme Court Justice Jesse W. Carter,[citation needed] Carter was born in San Francisco, California[1] where his father was attending the Golden Gate University School of Law.
He returned to private practice in Redding from 1940 to 1950, and served in the California State Senate from 1941 to 1949.
[1] On September 27, 1950, Carter received a recess appointment from President Harry S. Truman to a new seat on the United States District Court for the Northern District of California created by 63 Stat.
[1] Carter presided over the eight-week trial of Patty Hearst, including the jury's return of a guilty verdict on March 20, 1976.
Following the trial, Carter died unexpectedly prior to the resolution of Hearst's sentencing, which ultimately took place on September 24, 1976.