A national judicial panel has upheld the private reprimand of a U.S. federal judge accused of having an affair with a senior police officer.
The judge, whose identity was not disclosed, faced accusations of engaging in sexual activities with the officer in chambers during work hours, within hearing distance of courthouse staff, and subsequently making false statements about the incident.
The U.S. Judicial Conference’s Committee on Judicial Conduct and Disability confirmed the Atlanta-based 11th Circuit Judicial Council’s February decision on Friday, which outlined the disciplinary measures. Alongside the private reprimand, the judge agreed not to pursue the position of chief judge in the unspecified court.
Additionally, the judge committed to apologizing to any court staff interviewed during the inquiry and to “indefinitely refrain from serving on any Judicial Conference committee,” as stated in the national judicial panel’s decision.
The allegations came to light last year when a law clerk reported several incidents of the judge engaging in sexual conduct with a police officer during office hours. The clerk also claimed that the judge had mentioned to staff about being hungover from “too many martinis” at a district attorney’s event.
In its February decision, the 11th Circuit explained that it chose not to impose stricter penalties because the judge demonstrated “a strong propensity for rehabilitation and continued diligent service to the judiciary.”
Initially, in October 2025, the judge denied the allegations but later retracted those denials and admitted to the affair, which reportedly lasted two years, according to the 11th Circuit’s findings.
The investigation also concluded that the judge breached the Judicial Code of Conduct by attending a political event organized by a district attorney’s campaign.
