BATON ROUGE – The Louisiana Supreme Court has ordered the subject of numerous UWK investigations, Eboni Johnson Rose, suspended from judicial office for six months, with all but two months deferred. It comes after several UWK investigations into the 19th JDC judge’s rulings, including ‘destroyed’ polling slips from a 2024 trial.
The Louisiana Supreme Court issued their decision on April 23, 2025. Eboni Johnson Rose has also been placed on probation for two years, effective immediately. They did not specify if or when Johnson Rose could return to the bench. She must also pay a total of $11,196.11 over the next 18 months to help cover the cost of judges who replaced her during her suspension and the cost to investigate her case.
The Louisiana Supreme Court said in 2024, they “received complaints and media reports regarding alleged misconduct by Judge Eboni Johnson Rose in four separate criminal matters. Specifically, in three cases, it is alleged that Judge Rose made a series of serious legal errors regarding relatively straightforward issues of criminal procedure. In the fourth case, it is alleged that Judge Rose made comments in court indicative of bias against the District Attorney’s Office and used profane and offensive language, including a racial slur, in doing so.”
Judge Rose appeared before the Judiciary Commission of Louisiana on Jan. 17, 2025, where she “admitted that her conduct violated the Code of Judicial Conduct.”
The original ruling that temporarily suspended Johnson Rose came down on Aug. 6 from the Louisiana Supreme Court, effective immediately.
IT IS ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that respondent, Judge Eboni Johnson Rose, 19th Judicial District Court, State of Louisiana, be and hereby is immediately disqualified from exercising any judicial function during the pendency of further proceedings in this matter based on a finding of probable cause that respondent committed a violation of the Code of Judicial Conduct and poses a substantial threat of serious harm to the public and the administration of justice. ~La. Supreme Court Ruling
One Supreme Court Justice said that Judge Rose “presents a substantial threat of serious harm to the public and I therefore concur in the decision to immediately disqualify Respondent from exercising any further judicial function.” Another Justice went so far to say the law needs to change over this specific case forcing suspended judges to have to pay for their replacement judge’s salary. (More below)
The disqualified judge, however, was still able to run for appellate court judge, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.
Johnson Rose remained on the ballot for a spot on the First Circuit Court of Appeal. Because she previously qualified for office by the deadline of July 19, she could remain on the ballot, Joel Watson, Jr., Deputy Secretary of State for Communications, said.
“Candidates who qualify for office will remain on the ballot unless they are disqualified from office through the filing of an objection to candidacy,” Watson told UWK.
Johnson Rose did not win that election against her opponent Judge Kelly Balfour.
Judge Eboni Johnson Rose is accused of destroying evidence and breaking protocol
Judge Eboni Johnson Rose has been the subject of numerous UWK investigations with the most recent being allegations that she ‘destroyed’ polling slips in a recent trial.
Another case involved clearing all wrongdoing charges against fired Baton Rouge Police officer Donald Steele Jr., who was initially found guilty of misdemeanor malfeasance in office.
The malfeasance in office charge was based on kidnapping and sexual battery. After a bench trial, Judge Rose said she did not believe there was a kidnapping or sexual battery that took place. Given that both of those charges were dropped, there was not enough merit for a malfeasance charge, clearing Steele of any and all wrongdoing.
Other controversial verdicts include a case in which a Baton Rouge teacher accused of threatening people in car with a baseball bat and gun after they had allegedly driven too fast down down a street after a flooding.
In that case, Johnson rose originally read out a “not guilty” verdict but then returned jurors to the courtroom where she issued a guilty verdict, explaining the jury had misunderstood instructions.
In April, the Supreme Court overturned that conviction and ruled that Judge Eboni Rose Johnson had acted improperly after meeting alone with the jury.
Johnson Rose also had to throw out the guilty plea of a Texan man who admitted to setting his ex-girlfriend’s Baton Rouge home on fire.
That verdict was suspended because Johnson Rose had suspended too much of the man’s prison time.
MORE FROM UWK ON JUDGE EBONI JOHNSON ROSE
- Judge Eboni acquits Baton Rouge Police officer all of wrongdoing | District Attorney appeals
- Judge Eboni overturns jury’s not guilty verdict
- Judge Eboni reduces arrestee’s bond from $1 million to $100,000
Judge Eboni Johnson Rose has worked with the 19th JDC since Jan. 2021.
La. Supreme Court Justices’ responses
Given respondent’s apology and remorse, I would consider her attempt to improve her judicial performance through a period of probation under the guidance of an experienced and respected mentor. The balance between an appropriate sanction for behavior that deserves a sanction and respect for the choice of the electorate is a difficult one. ~Justice Jefferson D. Hughes III
I agree with the majority that Respondent presents a substantial threat of serious harm to the public and I therefore concur in the decision to immediately disqualify Respondent from exercising any further judicial function, as recommended by the Judiciary Commission of Louisiana. ~Justice Jay B. McCallum
This is axiomatic given the high bar articulated for a final decision of removal, namely “willful misconduct relating to [a judge’s] official duty, willful and persistent failure to perform his duty, persistent and public conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice that brings the judicial office into disrepute, conduct while in office which would constitute a felony, or conviction of a felony.
The actions of the judge in this matter are cause for concern and may ultimately lead to discipline. However, in my view, they are not so egregious as to warrant the most extreme measures at this point in the Judiciary Commission process. ~Justice Piper Griffin
Supreme Court Justice Jay McCallum wrote that a suspension, with pay, was not enough of a punishment and this case showed policies and laws may need to change.
“While Respondent’s conduct as a member of the judiciary certainly warrants a suspension of her pay, there is no lawful means by which to impose this condition,” he wrote. “The people of this state should amend the constitution to allow us that option.”
Johnson Rose’s actions put taxpayers in a bind because they have to pay her salary while she’s suspended and the wages of another judge to act in her place, according to McCallum. He also wrote that the Court needs to shift the rules to make it possible to force suspended judges to bear the cost of their replacement.
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