James Marshall Carter (March 11, 1904 – November 18, 1979) was a United States federal judge.
Born in Santa Barbara, California, Carter received an A.B. from Pomona College in 1924 and a J.D. from the University of Southern California Law School in 1927. He was in private practice in Los Angeles, California from 1928 to 1940. He was a Teacher, Police School, Los Angeles Board of Education, California from 1934 to 1935. He was a Director, State Department of Motor Vehicles, Sacramento, California from 1940 to 1942. He was in private practice in Los Angeles, California in 1943. He was a Chief assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of California from 1943 to 1946. He was a U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California from 1946 to 1949.
Carter was a federal judge on the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. Carter was nominated by President Harry S. Truman on September 23, 1949, to a new seat created by 63 Stat. 493. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on October 15, 1949, and received his commission on October 18, 1949. He served as chief judge from 1966-1967. Carter served in that capacity until December 1, 1967, due to appointment to another judicial position.
Carter was a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Carter was nominated by President Lyndon B. Johnson on November 6, 1967, to a seat vacated by Gilbert H. Jertberg. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on November 16, 1967, and received his commission the same day. He assumed senior status on September 30, 1971. Carter served in that capacity until November 18, 1979, due to his death.
He died in La Jolla, California.