Trumpy Judge’s Over Parking Lot Tantrum Leads to Battery Charge

A federal appeals court judge appointed by President Donald Trump is now facing criminal charges after an alleged parking lot confrontation in Idaho.

Judge Ryan D. Nelson, who serves on the powerful U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, has been charged with misdemeanor battery and malicious injury to property, according to court records cited by Bloomberg Law.

The case marks a stunning turn for a sitting federal judge on one of the most influential appeals courts in the country.

Nelson, who is based in Idaho Falls, pleaded not guilty on May 13 to both charges. The charges were filed April 22 in Idaho’s 7th Judicial District in Bonneville County. A pretrial conference is now scheduled for June 18.

The underlying records describing exactly what happened were not immediately available, according to Bloomberg Law. But the Idaho State Journal, which first reported the case, said the charges stem from an April 2 altercation between Nelson and another man in a parking lot in Idaho Falls.

The outlet also published video of the incident, reportedly showing Nelson acting aggressively during the parking lot encounter.

Nelson’s attorney, Curtis Reed Smith, did not immediately respond to a request for comment, Bloomberg Law reported. Representatives for the Ninth Circuit also did not immediately respond. Idaho Falls police and city attorney Zachary Jones, whose office is prosecuting the case, also did not immediately return requests for comment.

Nelson was born in Idaho Falls and was nominated to the Ninth Circuit by Trump in 2018. He was confirmed later that year.

The Ninth Circuit is one of the most closely watched federal appeals courts in the country, often handling major cases involving immigration, civil rights, environmental law, and executive power. That makes the criminal case against one of its sitting judges especially eye-catching.

For now, Nelson remains accused, not convicted. But the charges are already raising eyebrows because federal judges are given lifetime appointments and are expected to uphold the highest standards of public conduct.

The case is State of Idaho v. Nelson, Idaho District Court, No. CR10-26-03905.