Janet Cabral, a longtime assistant U.S. Attorney in San Diego who most recently served as chief of that office’s civil division, has been appointed as the newest federal magistrate judge for the Southern District of California.
Cabral was sworn in Monday by Chief U.S. District Judge Cynthia Bashant to fill a vacancy created by the retirement of U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Major.
Magistrate judges are appointed by district judges and serve eight-year terms. They have the authority to issue warrants and conduct many preliminary and procedural hearings in criminal cases, such as initial appearances, arraignments and guilty pleas. They also handle pretrial hearings and motions in civil and criminal cases, and can preside over civil trials. They do not preside over felony criminal trials.
Cabral worked for nearly 14 years in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California, starting in that office as a criminal prosecutor handling a wide variety of cases, including those involving sex crimes against children. In 2020, she moved to the office’s civil division, which represents the federal government when it is sued over alleged civil rights violations, federal tort claims and other matters.
Cabral most recently served as chief of the civil division, one of the highest-ranking leadership positions in the office. In that role, she oversaw roughly 40 people, including assistant U.S. attorneys and support staff.
In 2024, Cabral received the “outstanding advocate award” from the San Diego Federal Bar Association for demonstrating “outstanding advocacy and legal expertise while maintaining professionalism and civility over the course of (her) career.” The association noted that she took more than 15 cases to trial as a criminal prosecutor, served as an ethics advisor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office and “routinely volunteers to mentor more junior attorneys in her office.”
A 1993 graduate of Notre Dame Law School, Cabral previously worked as an administrative law clerk for former Chief U.S. District Judge Irma Gonzalez. She also previously clerked for U.S. District Judge Anthony Battaglia and Judge David Thompson of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.