ATLANTA — U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross of the Northern District of Georgia is facing scrutiny and calls for impeachment following a judicial investigation that found she engaged in an extramarital affair with a high-ranking Atlanta police official, including sexual activity in her chambers during business hours, court records show.
The Judicial Council of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued findings in February 2026 confirming the misconduct. A special committee’s report, made public in recent weeks, detailed that the relationship lasted approximately two years and that law clerks reported hearing sounds of kissing and moaning from the judge’s chambers. The judge initially made false statements to investigators before recanting, according to the documents.
The council imposed a private reprimand and other measures, including requirements that the judge apologize to affected former law clerks and agree not to serve as chief judge or on the judicial council. Ross remains on the bench.
The case has drawn attention to the federal judiciary’s internal disciplinary process. Georgia Republican lawmakers, including Rep. Andrew Clyde, introduced impeachment resolutions in June 2026, citing the conduct as grounds for removal. The resolutions were referred to the House Judiciary Committee.
The investigation began after complaints from court staff. Evidence included interviews, security logs and laboratory testing of a couch cushion from the chambers, reports said. The panel found no indication that cases involving the Atlanta Police Department came before the judge during the relationship.
Ross, appointed by President Barack Obama in 2013, has not publicly commented in detail on the findings beyond the required apologies. Supporters of stricter judicial accountability have criticized the private nature of the reprimand as insufficient, while others have noted the challenges of disciplining lifetime-appointed federal judges.
The episode is part of broader recent scrutiny of federal judges amid several misconduct inquiries in different circuits. Details on potential further congressional action or additional internal reviews as of June 12, 2026, remain subject to ongoing proceedings. The judge and court officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
