A Clark County District Court Judge, Erika Ballou, has been publicly censured for actions that violated Nevada’s judicial conduct rules, following her inappropriate social media activities. The Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline imposed the censure, requiring Judge Ballou, 52, to undergo educational courses on judicial ethics in response to her conduct.
The controversy arose from two specific incidents on social media. One involved an Instagram post by Judge Ballou where she indicated attending a late-night concert by Billie Eilish, mentioning her judicial duties the following morning alongside the hashtag: “VacateTheS—OuttaOutOfCustodyCases.” This post was criticized for potentially undermining the public’s perception of her dedication to her judicial responsibilities.
Additionally, Judge Ballou faced scrutiny over a Facebook post that featured her in a hot tub with two public defenders. The image, which showed the group in swimwear, was captioned in a manner that was deemed to compromise the perceived integrity and impartiality of the judiciary.
As part of her censure, Judge Ballou will complete an online course titled “Judicial Ethics and Social Media: A Lightning Course” offered by the National Judicial College. She is also required to familiarize herself with relevant sections on social media and judicial ethics in the “Judicial Conduct Reporter,” published by the National Center for State Courts Center for Judicial Ethics.