She was a law clerk for Judge Lawrence Prattis of the Common Pleas Court from 1976 to 1978.
She was a senior trial attorney of Southeastern Transportation Authority Legal Department from 1986 to 1987.
She was a judge on the Court of Common Pleas, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania from 1987 to 2000.
On July 27, 1999, Tucker was nominated by President Bill Clinton to a seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania vacated by Judge Thomas N. O'Neill, Jr. She was confirmed by the United States Senate on May 24, 2000, and received her commission on June 1, 2000.
Tucker served as Chief Judge of the District from May 1, 2013, to July 31, 2017.