She was a special counsel to the United States Senate Government Operations Committee, permanent Subcommittee on Investigations in Washington, D.C. from 1971 to 1972.

[2] In 2012, Barker received the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site Advancing American Democracy Award.

On February 14, 1984, Barker was nominated by President Ronald Reagan to a seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana vacated by Judge Cale James Holder.

Barker was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 13, 1984, and received her commission the following day, becoming the first female federal judge in Indiana.

[5] Barker was affirmed by SCOTUS in Crawford v. Marion County Election Board.