Judge Janet Berry was born in Sacramento California, the daughter of professional baseball player, Gordon Jones. As a child she traveled the country to watch her father play baseball in many of America's great stadiums. Her mother worked in the California State Legislature for thirty years, first as a legislative secretary, then an Administrative Assistant to the California State Senate. Judge Berry developed her passion for law and justice at a young age. She spent many hours observing her mother at work in the halls of the legislature, watching government in action. She saw the importance of working with fellow citizens to address community concerns. She learned good sportsmanship and fair play from her father, who always encouraged his children to give every endeavor their best effort and treat others with the utmost respect.

Judge Berry graduated from California State University at Sacramento with a degree in Criminal Justice. In 1977 she married Dr. David Berry and moved to New Orleans Louisiana. While her husband spent most days and nights at Tulane University and Charity hospital completing his surgical residency, Judge Berry spent most of her waking hours at Tulane Law School where she received her Juris Doctorate in 1980. She paid for law school by working part-time at the law firm of Martzell and Montero. The most memorable case she worked on during her law school career was the defense of Muhammad Ali in a defamation case, which was filed against Mr. Ali after he fought a heavyweight championship fight at the Superdome in New Orleans.

She is admitted to practice law in Louisiana, California and Nevada. Judge Berry served as a law clerk at the United States District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana and at the Nevada Supreme Court before entering the private practice of law with the firm of Davenport and Perry. Her private practice experience included trial, appellate and administrative law. During her years in private practice, she represented both plaintiffs and defendants. Her final few years of practice were devoted primarily to the representation of John Ascuaga's Nugget in the area of workmen's compensation and insurance defense. Her former law partners, Rick Davenport and Bob Perry encouraged Judge Berry serve as a Judge Pro Tem in Washoe County local courts, which began her interest and ultimately her desire to make the judiciary her life's work. In 1992 she was appointed to the Reno Municipal Court, the second busiest court in the State of Nevada. In 1996, Judge Berry was appointed to the Second Judicial District Court and ran unopposed for a full term in 1997.

Judge Berry was awarded the prestigious Hawkins Foundation Scholarship in 1993 to pursue a Masters Degree in Judicial Studies from the National Judicial College at the University of Nevada Reno. She received her Masters degree in 1997 after publishing her thesis in the Tulane Law Review. There are approximately 80 Judges in the United States who have earned this advanced degree. Additionally, in 2000 Judge Berry received the Nevada District Judges Association Distinguished Jurist Education Award for her outstanding commitment to judicial education.

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