Judge Apologizes After Scandal Involving Courthouse Misconduct
WHO:
CNN - US District Judge Eleanor Ross
CNN - William Pryor, chief judge of the 11th Circuit
ABC News Politics - U.S. Department of Justice
CNN - Six former law clerks of Judge Ross
WHAT:
CNN - Judge Ross attended a partisan event and initially lied when confronted with the allegations, stating that the law clerk may have invented the claims in retaliation for being required to work in the office.
CNN - Ross received a “private reprimand” that did not publicly name her and agreed not to seek the position of chief judge of the district when eligible.
CNN - The investigation revealed that six clerks recalled seeing someone who fit the officer’s description, with three remembering overhearing what may have been sexual activity in the judge’s office.
CNN - Ross acknowledged to the committee having gone to a “mixer” of former employees of a district attorney’s office where she used to work, but claimed it was in a separate room from the victory party.
CNN - Ross stated in her letter, “Though I can never fully undo the harm that I have caused you, I hope that my acknowledgment of these failures is a small first step.”
CNN - Judge Ross was disciplined for having sex with a police officer in her chambers and lying to investigators.
CNN - Ross wrote a letter apologizing for her “harmful, offensive, and unprofessional behavior.”
CNN - Ross received a “private reprimand” after the investigation confirmed the allegations against her.
ABC News Politics - Judge Ross recused herself from a case involving Georgia election records.
WHERE:
CNN - 11th Judicial Circuit, Northern District of Georgia
CNN - Judge Ross's chambers in the courthouse
WHEN:
CNN - Ross was nominated to the bench in 2014 by President Barack Obama.
CNN - The investigation of Ross began last year.
CNN - Ross wrote her apology letter on June 11.
WHY:
CNN - The investigation was initiated after a law clerk reported that Judge Ross had engaged in sexual activity with a high-ranking uniformed police officer in her office during working hours and did not properly supervise clerks.
CNN - The investigation was initiated after a law clerk reported the judge's misconduct.
CNN - The U.S. Department of Justice raised questions about Ross's ability to be impartial in the Georgia election case.
HOW:
CNN - The committee’s review of logs and security footage showed an officer frequently visited the judge’s chambers in uniform around lunchtime.
CNN - The investigation included a review of logs and security footage showing the officer frequently visiting Ross's chambers.
CNN - Ross initially denied the allegations but later admitted to having an extramarital sexual relationship with the officer.
(UPDATED June 16, 2026 20:11 UTC)
Judge Ross has faced scrutiny after an investigation revealed allegations of sexual activity with a high-ranking uniformed police officer in her office during working hours, which she initially denied, claiming the law clerk may have fabricated the claims. The investigation found that six clerks recalled seeing someone matching the officer's description, and three overheard what could have been sexual activity in the judge's office, leading to a private reprimand for Ross, who agreed not to pursue the chief judge position when eligible. In a letter, Ross expressed regret, stating, “Though I can never fully undo the harm that I have caused you, I hope that my acknowledgment of these failures is a small first step.”
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(UPDATED June 16, 2026 18:35 UTC)
U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross has been disciplined for engaging in a sexual relationship with a police officer in her chambers and subsequently lying to investigators, leading to a private reprimand after the allegations were confirmed. In a letter dated June 11, Ross expressed her remorse for her “harmful, offensive, and unprofessional behavior,” and she has since recused herself from a case involving Georgia election records amid concerns about her impartiality raised by the U.S. Department of Justice. The investigation, which began last year after a law clerk reported the misconduct, included a review of logs and security footage that showed the officer frequently visiting Ross's chambers, and although she initially denied the allegations, she later admitted to the extramarital relationship.