Roberts was an assistant United States attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan from 1985 to 1988, returning to private practice in Detroit from 1988 to 1998.

She was general counsel for Mayor-elect Dennis Archer's transition team from 1993 to 1994.

[2] On July 31, 1997, Roberts was nominated by President Bill Clinton to a seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan vacated by George La Plata who retired on August 3, 1996.

[2][6] On February 3, 2017, Roberts ordered the U.S. government to halt enforcement of Donald Trump's 90-day restriction on travel by people from seven Muslim-majority countries if they are lawful, permanent residents of the U.S.[7] Roberts was a judge in the Arab American Civil Rights League v. Trump lawsuit filed in response to Trump's travel ban.

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