The Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline has filed formal charges against Judge Erika Ballou citing the judge’s postings on social media. See In the Matter of the Honorable Erika Ballou, District Court Judge, Eighth Judicial District Court, Clark County, State of Nevada, Case No. 2022-173-P.
The Commission filed two counts of formal charges against Judge Ballou alleging, among other things, that she engaged in extrajudicial activity that would appear to a reasonable person to undermine the judge’s independence, integrity, or impartiality. The Commission detailed the following two factual allegations:
- While attending a music festival on Sunday, September 19, 2021, Judge Ballou published an inappropriate statement about her judicial duties on social media. At 10:46 p.m., Judge Ballou posted on Instagram, “List is STILL beautiful, despite the fact that Bilie Eilish doesn’t START for 30 minutes and I have an 8:30 calendar tomorrow,” and included hashtags, “VacateTheShitOutofCustodyCases” and “WhereInTheWorldIsCarmenSanDiego.”
- In April of 2022, Judge Ballou published an inappropriate statement on social media. Judge Ballou posted a photograph on her Facebook page of herself in a hot tub with two public defenders, Shana Brouwers and Robson Hauser, with the caption, “Robson is surrounded by great tits.”
A local Law Vegas news station reported that Judge Ballou declined to comment on the 8 News Now Investigator’s reporting. However, 8 News Now did report that Judge Ballou posted on Facebook and quoting a Cardi B song apparently in response to the Judiciary Commission’s filing of formal charges:
Went from makin’ tuna sandwiches to makin’ the news
I started speakin’ my mind and tripled my views….
Get money, go hard, you’re [expletive] right
Never been a fraud in my [expletive] life.
Get money, go hard, damn [expletive] right.
Stunt on these bitches out of [expletive] spite…
Knock me down nine times but I get up 10.
Judge Ballou will face possible sanctions for the alleged ethics violations after a public hearing.
