Judge Eleanor Ross of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia offered candid observations of attorneys’ behavior in the courtroom and in other trial proceedings and its impact on judges and juries in her talk at VLS Feb. 7, 2022.
She emphasized that judges take note of how attorneys treat opposing counsel, staff in judicial chambers and judges themselves, emphasizing the need for courtesy and civility in all courtroom interactions, including from the bench. Her talk included practical advice and provided valuable insights on courtroom comportment to students planning to work as litigators.
Judge Ross was appointed to her seat on the Northern District of Georgia, where she has served since November 2014, by President Barack Obama. From 2002 to 2005, she was a federal prosecutor for the Northern District of Georgia, where she worked on several high-profile criminal cases. Before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, she was a prosecutor in the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office for more than 14 years. She was appointed to a seat the DeKalb County State Court in 2011 by Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal and presided there until her appointment to the federal bench. She earned her law degree from the University of Houston and her undergraduate degree at American University.
As a prosecutor, Judge Ross was honored for her contributions to victims’ rights and recognized by the Fulton County District Attorney in 2000 as Homicide Attorney of the Year and in 2010 as Attorney of the Year. In 2019, Judge Ross received the Trail Blazer Award from the National Black Prosecutors Association and the Judicial Leadership Award from the Gate City Bar Association in recognition of her outstanding achievements, service to the community and tireless work in the legal arena.