Curiel was born in East Chicago, Indiana,[1][2] to parents who had immigrated into the United States from Mexico.[3][4] He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Indiana University in 1976 and his Juris Doctor from the Indiana University School of Law in 1979.[1][2][5] He served in private practice, first at James, James & Manning from 1979 to 1986 and then at Barbosa & Vera from 1986 to 1989.[2][5][6]
He was an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of California from 1989 to 2002.[1][2][5] While in the Southern District, he served as Deputy Chief (1996-1999) and then Chief (1999-2002) of the Narcotics Enforcement Division.[1][2][5] During his tenure with the Narcotics Enforcement Division, Curiel prosecuted the Arellano Felix cartel in Tijuana, Mexico,[3][4] and was reportedly the subject of an assassination plot connected to the drug cartel.[7][8] He was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Central District of California from 2002 to 2006.[1][2][5]
On November 1, 2006, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced the appointment of Curiel to the bench of the Superior Court of San Diego in 2007, which is the position he held until his appointment to the federal bench.[5][9]