Retired Judge Diane Wood's Op-Ed on Judge Ross Misconduct Case Draws Scrutiny for What It Omits

Judge Ross, a federal judge in the Eleventh Circuit, was found to have engaged in a sexual relationship with a law enforcement officer whose department regularly appeared before her court, and subsequently lied about it to the Chief Judge of the Circuit and the Chief Judge of the District. The Eleventh Circuit Judicial Council ultimately issued a private reprimand after Ross confessed and expressed remorse. The Judicial Conduct and Disability Committee affirmed that decision under a deferential standard, finding no abuse of discretion or error of law. Retired Judge Diane Wood of the Seventh Circuit then published an op-ed appearing to defend the process and outcome, but critics note she characterized the misconduct primarily as a personal sexual matter while glossing over the lying to judicial superiors. Wood also suggested constitutional limits may constrain how severely judges can be sanctioned short of impeachment, including potentially restricting case reassignments. The op-ed has drawn attention for what it leaves unsaid, including whether Wood personally believes the private reprimand was the correct outcome in the first instance.