Cormac Joseph Carney (born May 6, 1959) is an inactive senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California.

Early life and education

Carney was born in Detroit, Michigan to Irish immigrant parents, both of whom were medical doctors. His father was a County Mayo Gaelic football player, Pádraig Carney. The elder Carney immigrated to the United States to further his medical career. Cormac was raised in Long Beach, California, where he attended St. Anthony High School. Carney received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1983 and a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School in 1987. He attended the U.S. Air Force Academy for one year before transferring to UCLA.

Football career

Carney was a wide receiver on the UCLA Bruins football team. He was named to the GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-America football team, and inducted into the CoSIDA Academic All-America Hall of Fame in 2005. He was also named to the 1981 and 1982 All-Pacific-10 Conference football teams. A highlight of his college football career was UCLA's victory over Michigan in the 1983 Rose Bowl. He played for the USFL team Memphis Showboats in the 1984 season. Carney made 37 receptions for 701 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Legal career

Carney practiced law in Los Angeles for four years with Latham & Watkins and eleven years with O'Melveny & Myers.

Judicial career

California state court

In October 2001, Carney was appointed by California Governor Gray Davis to the bench of the Orange County Superior Court. He served on the state bench, presiding over civil and criminal trials, until his appointment to the federal district court.

Federal judicial service

On January 7, 2003, Carney was nominated by President George W. Bush to a seat on the United States District Court for the Central District of California vacated by Carlos R. Moreno. A substantial majority of the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary rated Carney as "qualified" for the post, while a minority of the committee members abstained. (ABA rankings of judicial nominees are on a three-part scale: well-qualified, qualified, and not qualified.) Carney was confirmed by the United States Senate on April 7, 2003, on an 80–0 vote, and received his commission on April 9, 2003. He assumed senior status on May 31, 2024.

Notable decisions

Tenure as chief judge

Carney succeeded Virginia A. Phillips as Chief Judge of the Central District of California on June 1, 2020. However, he stepped down on June 26, 2020 in light of allegations that he had made racially insensitive comments regarding the Clerk of the Court, Kiry Gray, who is African American. Carney referred to Gray as "street smart" and telling her "it was not like I was the police officer standing on your neck." Carney apologized to Gray for the remark. He was succeeded as chief judge by Philip S. Gutierrez.

Personal life

Cormac Carney and wife MaryBeth have three children.