Federal Judge Faces Impeachment After Affair with Police Officer in Chambers
Federal District Judge Eleanor L. Ross of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia is facing scrutiny from all three branches of government after a judicial misconduct investigation revealed she engaged in a yearslong extramarital sexual relationship with an Atlanta Police deputy chief in her chambers during business hours. The case has triggered impeachment resolutions in the U.S. House of Representatives and renewed debate over the transparency of the federal judiciary’s disciplinary system.
The Investigation
The scandal began in September 2025 when a law clerk filed a complaint with the chief district judge, alleging that Ross had engaged in sexual activity with a uniformed police officer in chambers within earshot of staff. The complaint also included allegations of inadequate mentoring, yelling and cursing at staff, and the judge admitting to having “too many martinis the night before” at a district attorney’s event, as Bloomberg Law reported.
Ross initially denied all allegations, calling them “outrageous” and “baseless,” and suggested the clerk may have fabricated the claims in retaliation for being required to work in the office. Chief 11th Circuit Judge William Pryor appointed a special committee that interviewed six former law clerks, reviewed security footage and visitor logs, conducted acoustic testing in a similarly laid-out chamber, and arranged forensic testing of a couch cushion.
The special committee’s December 2025 report found that between 2023 and 2025, Ross engaged in an extramarital affair with Atlanta Police Deputy Chief Kelley Collier, commander of the community services division. The committee determined that Ross had sexual intercourse in her chambers during business hours, attended a partisan campaign event for Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, and made false statements to Chief Circuit Judge Pryor and the chief district judge.
A Controversial Penalty
Despite the severity of the findings, Ross received a private reprimand — not a public one. She agreed to write apology letters to six former law clerks, forgo serving as chief judge, and refrain from sitting on any Judicial Conference committee. She was allowed to remain on the bench in active service. The CNBC report on the disciplinary action initially kept the judge’s identity confidential.
The private reprimand has drawn sharp criticism from legal ethics experts. Susan Saab Fortney, a Texas A&M law professor, told Bloomberg Law that the case “illustrates why many ethics experts lack confidence in the judiciary’s handling of judicial misconduct cases.” She noted that Ross’s initial denial “contributed to the judiciary devoting considerable time and resources to investigating the allegations.”
Charles Geyh, an Indiana University judicial ethics expert, said the misconduct “at a minimum I would have thought deserving of a public reprimand.” He added: “It’s not enough for this judge to go under the radar when the order itself concludes this judge is essentially unfit to lead.”
Aliza Shatzman, president of the Legal Accountability Project, said the judge’s misconduct “strikes at the heart of judicial integrity and destroys public confidence in an impartial, ethical court system.”
Impeachment Proceedings
On June 10, 2026, U.S. Reps. Clay Fuller (R-GA) and Andrew Clyde (R-GA) filed impeachment resolutions against Ross in the U.S. House of Representatives. Clyde’s resolution had 14 co-sponsors. In a social media post, Clyde said Ross’s “deeply disturbing actions prove she is incapable of displaying integrity or impartiality. She must be impeached and removed from the bench,” as the Associated Press reported via the New York Post.
The House Judiciary Committee must now decide whether to proceed with impeachment proceedings. Federal judges are appointed for life and can only be removed through impeachment by the House and conviction by the Senate.
Conflict of Interest Concerns
The special committee report noted that the affair created a conflict-of-interest risk since the Atlanta Police Department was involved in numerous criminal and civil cases before the court. While Ross did not preside over any cases involving Collier or the department between 2022 and 2025, the committee found this was due to “happenstance” rather than any effort by the judge to avoid conflicts.
The Atlanta Police Department has opened its own inquiry to determine the full circumstances involving Deputy Chief Collier.
Broader Implications
The case has highlighted the federal judiciary’s internal disciplinary system, which allows for private reprimands that keep a judge’s identity confidential. Critics argue this system lacks transparency and accountability. The Judicial Conference has been working on reforms following a 2025 survey showing one-third of court staff reported workplace misconduct.
Ross, appointed by President Barack Obama in 2014, was the first Black woman to serve as a judge on the Northern District of Georgia. She previously presided over notable cases including the tax evasion trial of reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley and a challenge to Georgia’s “exact-match” voter registration law.
What’s Next
The House Judiciary Committee will determine whether to advance the impeachment resolutions. If impeached, the Senate would then decide whether to convict and remove Ross from the bench. Separately, the Atlanta Police Department’s investigation into Deputy Chief Collier continues. The case is likely to fuel ongoing calls for reform of the federal judiciary’s disciplinary procedures, particularly around transparency and the use of private reprimands for serious misconduct.