Obama-Appointed Judge Reprimanded
A federal judge in Georgia was reportedly reprimanded following an investigation into allegations that she engaged in a romantic relationship with a police official and participated in inappropriate conduct inside…
A federal judge in Georgia was reportedly reprimanded following an investigation into allegations that she engaged in a romantic relationship with a police official and participated in inappropriate conduct inside courthouse chambers.
According to Bloomberg Law, the allegations involve U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross of the Northern District of Georgia and Atlanta Police Department Deputy Chief Kelley Collier. The outlet cited a person familiar with the matter who said Ross was privately reprimanded following an internal judicial investigation.
Atlanta television station WSB-TV, citing multiple sources familiar with the case, also reported that Ross was the subject of a judicial misconduct report issued by Chief Judge William Pryor of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.
The allegations stem from a judicial complaint filed in September. A special committee later conducted an investigation and submitted a final report in December.
According to reports, the committee found that Ross and the police official engaged in a relationship that included sexual encounters inside courthouse chambers during business hours over a period of approximately two years. The report indicated that some incidents allegedly occurred within earshot of law clerks working nearby.
The committee concluded that the conduct demonstrated a “gross lack of judgment” and created what it described as an uncomfortable and troubling work environment for court staff.
Despite those findings, the report also stated that Ross had shown a willingness to accept responsibility and demonstrated what investigators described as a strong capacity for rehabilitation and continued service on the federal bench.
As part of the resolution, Ross reportedly agreed to write apology letters to former law clerks who participated in the investigation. She also pledged not to seek positions such as chief judge or appointments to Judicial Conference committees during the remainder of her judicial career.
The report did not publicly identify the police official involved. However, Bloomberg Law noted that the report described the individual as a police commander who joined the department in 1998. That description matches Collier, who currently serves as commander of the Atlanta Police Department’s Community Services Division, according to the department’s website.