A federal judge is facing allegations of engaging in sexual activity with a law enforcement officer inside courthouse chambers while clerks were present nearby. The allegations are detailed in a judicial misconduct report submitted to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. According to the report, multiple clerks reported hearing sounds consistent with sexual activity over a period of approximately two years. One clerk mentioned overhearing the officer reference the term 'affair', while another left work due to being disturbed by the noises.
The report does not disclose the judge's name or gender. Investigators concluded that the judge displayed a 'gross lack of judgment' by engaging in the alleged affair with a police commander whose department frequently appeared in federal court, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest. Initially, the judge denied the allegations, labeling them as 'outrageous' and 'baseless', suggesting that a law clerk fabricated the claims in response to disciplinary actions.
Following an investigation that included reviewing security footage and interviewing former clerks, the judge later admitted to the affair and acknowledged having sexual intercourse in the chambers. The investigation also revealed the judge's attendance at a partisan political event related to a district attorney's campaign and subsequent false statements made to Chief Judge William Pryor and the court's chief district judge during the inquiry.
The report indicated that the judge's conduct negatively impacted staff morale and could undermine public confidence in the judiciary. It also noted that the undisclosed nature of the affair posed a risk of potential blackmail. Despite these findings, the judicial council issued only a private reprimand, and the judge agreed to apologize to six former clerks, relinquish any future opportunity to serve as chief judge, and refrain from participating in judicial conference committees indefinitely.