Georgia Judge Recuses from DOJ Voter Case After Misconduct Probe

U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross, serving in the Northern District of Georgia, apologized for her 'harmful, offensive, and unprofessional behavior' after an investigation confirmed she had engaged in sexual activity with a high-ranking police officer in her office during working hours. The apology follows allegations that Ross attended a partisan political event, failed to properly supervise clerks, and yelled at staff.

The investigation, initiated by 11th U.S. Circuit Chief Judge William Pryor, led to a 'private reprimand' for Ross, who agreed not to seek the position of chief judge when eligible. She was also ordered to write apology letters to six former law clerks.

Ross had sex in her chambers during business hours with high-ranking Atlanta Police Department officer Kelley Collier from roughly October 2023 through October 2025. The relationship was not disclosed, and at least three former clerks heard sounds from the judge’s chambers, creating an uncomfortable workplace.

The House Judiciary Committee will decide whether to open impeachment proceedings against Ross. If the House were to impeach her, the Senate would decide whether to remove her from the federal bench. The committee's review of logs and security footage showed that Collier had frequently visited the judge's chambers in uniform around lunchtime.

The investigation also examined allegations that Ross attended a partisan political event hosted by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, failed to properly supervise clerks, and yelled at staff. A special committee found that Ross had sex in the courthouse, attended a partisan event, and initially lied when confronted with the allegations. The judge acknowledged having gone to a 'mixer' of former employees of a district attorney's office where she used to work but said it was in a separate room from the victory party.

Ross recently disqualified herself from hearing the U.S. Department of Justice's bid to force Georgia to turn over its non-public voter registration list, citing her attendance at Willis' event and concerns about perceived bias. The case has been reassigned to Judge Victoria Calvert. Ross concluded that an objective observer might presume she supports Willis' views on election integrity due to her appearance at the event.

The Justice Department had sued Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger seeking an unredacted statewide voter list, and Ross was presiding over that case. Ross received a 'private reprimand' after a court investigation found that she had sex in the courthouse with a high-ranking uniformed police officer within earshot of staff, attended a partisan event and then initially lied to deny the allegations.