Federal judge gets private reprimand for affair with officer

A federal judge has been disciplined following an investigation that found the jurist engaged in a two-year extramarital affair with a high-ranking police officer, including sexual encounters inside the judge’s private chambers during business hours while court staff worked nearby. The judicial panel overseeing the case issued a private reprimand, concluding the conduct created an uncomfortable workplace environment and exposed the judge to potential blackmail.

The investigation, conducted by a special committee appointed by Chief Judge William Pryor of the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, began after a law clerk reported the alleged misconduct in September 2025. The judge, whose identity remains confidential, initially denied the allegations, calling them “outrageous” and “baseless.” However, the judge later admitted to the affair through legal counsel in October 2025, acknowledging sexual activity occurred inside chambers.

According to the disciplinary findings, the affair lasted from approximately October 2023 until October 2025. Investigators determined that on multiple occasions, the judge and the officer, a senior commander from a large law enforcement agency within the...