Police: US 9th Circuit judge faces battery charge after parking lot confrontation turns physical in Idaho Falls

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Police: US 9th Circuit judge faces battery charge after parking lot confrontation turns physical in Idaho Falls

JIMMY HANCOCK Correspondent Jun 5, 2026


U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Ryan Douglas Nelson.
Screenshot/Senate Judiciary Committee

IDAHO FALLS — U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Ryan Douglas Nelson faces two criminal charges after police say he battered a man by swiping the glasses from his face, tossing them across an asphalt lot and stomping on them during an April confrontation over a parking space in Idaho Falls. ... Nelson, 52, of Idaho Falls, has been charged by Idaho Falls city prosecuting attorney Zachary H. Jones with battery and malicious injury to property, both misdemeanors, in Idaho’s 7th Judicial District Court, according to police and court records the Idaho State Journal recently obtained.

The alleged incident occurred in a parking lot on Memorial Drive in Idaho Falls the afternoon of April 2. Nelson is alleged to have engaged in a verbal dispute with another Idaho Falls resident over a parking space that escalated into a physical altercation, court records show. ... Jones confirmed the charges filed against Nelson but would not comment further. ... “Given the potential high-profile nature of the case, I want to be cautious and make sure we have a clean process,” Jones said.

When reached for comment Thursday, Nelson's Idaho Falls attorney of record in the case, Curtis R. Smith of Smith Woolf Anderson & Wilkinson, said, “Mr. Nelson maintains a presumption of innocence. He will work through the judicial system to resolve these personal charges which allegedly resulted in a pair of broken sunglasses and are unrelated to his professional position.”

Nelson was charged April 22 and entered not guilty pleas to both charges May 13, court records show. He is scheduled for a pretrial conference hearing in front of 7th District Magistrate Judge John C. Dewey at the Bonneville County Courthouse in Idaho Falls on June 18. ... The purpose of the pretrial conference hearing is to exchange evidence, negotiate plea agreements and manage the court schedule to either resolve the incident without trial or to prepare for trial.

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The Federalist Society: Hon. Ryan D. Nelson

[Sanity Claws]

1. Trump appointee

I wonder what the fight was about. With a Trump appointee, it is either related to money/bribes or perhaps SA.

[SheltieLover]

3. Article says it was an altercation over a parking space.

Toxic masculinity. Privileged prick.

He will probably be awarded a medal or some other honorary mention.

If he looses his lofty job, he would fit right in at ICE.

Fucking bully.

[niyad]

4. Sadly, you are quite correct.

[SheltieLover]

6. Until our "justice system" gets over the unwritten rule of not prosecuting lofty white people with penises, nothing will

change.

This is how we got to the current nightmare.

[niyad]

8. I would really love to see this in my lifetime!

[mahatmakanejeeves]

2. A parking spot. NT

[niyad]

5. I read reports of people shot and killed over parking spaces.

This krasnov appointee has some serious issues.

[SheltieLover]

7. He sure does have issues.

And the lawyer making it about sunglasses to try to lessen the seriousness.

I caught myself feeling a "whew! At least the victim wasn't left stranded, unable to see."

But we don't know that. And, regardless, this privileged jerk should suffer consequences. Much stiffer than a regular citizen, as judges are supposed to know and follow the laws!

[niyad]

9. Absolutely agree!

[SheltieLover]

10. Fucking sophist trying to make the judge look less like the bully he is

I mean seriously, who deliberately swipes at glasses then stomps on them, but a fucking bully? Nobody!

[niyad]

12. Toadying little mouthpiece has learned his job well. Sick fuck.

[SheltieLover]

13. Yes!

[niyad]

11. Backpfeifengesicht!