Atlanta Federal Judge Was Busted Having Sex In Court Chambers With Cop Within Earshot Of Clerks
A federal judge was busted engaging in an extramarital affair with a senior Atlanta law enforcement officer in court chambers. They were so loud law clerks could hear their sounds of passion.
A special committee for the Eleventh Circuit found Judge Eleanor Ross engaged in sexual intercourse in “chambers and during business hours” over the course of a two-year relationship with Atlanta Deputy Police Chief Kelley Collier.
The report says:
The Judicial Conference’s judicial conduct and disability committee in a May 22 order affirmed a February misconduct finding by the US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit’s judicial council. A December special committee report laid out the allegations against and resulting investigation into the Obama appointed judge.
The orders and report don’t name the judge or say in which district they served. The Atlanta-based appeals court covers federal trial courts in Georgia, Florida, and Alabama.
Federal Judge Was Busted Having Sex In Court Chambers
The report also stated:
“The affair made the judge vulnerable to extortion, since their spouse was not aware of the affair.”
The panel noted that the judge was “routinely” hearing criminal cases while engaging in an affair with Collier. The affair spanned from roughly October 2023 to October 2025.
The federal judge was busted improperly attended a partisan political event hosted by a district attorney’s campaign. She was accused of making false statements to judges investigating her conduct.
The panel gave Ross a private reprimand. She also agreed to write letters of apology to law clerks interviewed during the judicial investigation. The judge also agreed to not serve as chief judge in the future. In addition she agreed to “indefinitely refrain” from serving on any committees on the Judicial Conference.
After Federal Judge Was Busted Having Sex In Court Chambers She Agrees To A Private Reprimand
The committee said it decided against recommending a more severe penalty because the judge later corrected the false statements. They also stated Judge Ross is unlikely to repeat the behavior in the future.
The misconduct was also reported by Law360 and Reuters.
Security footage and sign-in logs revealed that Collier made “frequent visits” to the judge’s chambers. His visits were typically during lunchtime while in uniform. Collier is a division commander who has worked for the Atlanta police department since 1998.
All six former clerks who were interviewed described seeing the officer visit chambers. Two clerks reported hearing either “kissing sounds,” “moaning” or both from the judge’s office. A third heard Collier say things like, “Hey baby, wanna see my briefs?” and, “Hey baby wanna feel the the pounding of MY gavel”
The committee also found love stains on a sofa cushion in the judge’s chamber.
The judge didn’t preside over any cases where the officer or police department was a party. Nor did she preside over cases or over any trials where the officer testified during the relationship. However, because the judge didn’t disclose the affair, this “appears to be the result of happenstance” and not any efforts by the judge.
Judge Ross initially denied the allegations and suggested the clerk who reported them did so to retaliate against her over performance issues. However, Ross later admitted to having the affair and to having sexual intercourse in the office. She also said she didn’t know they were overheard.
Eleventh Circuit Chief Judge William Pryor declined to comment.
