A misconduct complaint against U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg, related to his statements regarding President Donald Trump's deportation policies, has been dismissed by a federal appeals court judge. Jeffrey S. Sutton, the chief judge of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, ruled on December 19, revealing that the complaint lacked sufficient evidence to warrant action.
The complaint arose from comments made by Boasberg during a March 2025 judicial conference, where he allegedly warned Chief Justice John Roberts and other justices that ignoring federal court rulings could lead to a constitutional crisis. This meeting occurred shortly before Boasberg issued an injunction to halt deportation flights that the Trump administration had initiated under wartime authorities.
In his ruling, Sutton emphasized that the allegations presented by the Justice Department were not supported by any verifiable evidence or context. He described the complaint as a recycling of unadorned allegations and noted that mere repetition of uncorroborated statements does not form a valid basis for a misconduct complaint. Sutton, appointed by President George W. Bush, also pointed out that if Boasberg did indeed make the comments, they would not diverge significantly from the topics typically discussed in judicial circles and would not breach ethical codes.
The case has drawn attention to the broader tensions surrounding judicial independence amid political pressures, highlighted by Chief Justice Roberts’ reports on threats to court authority and respect for judicial orders. The misconduct complaint initiated by the Justice Department was initially filed with Judge Sri Srinivasan but was transferred due to ongoing related appeals, culminating in Sutton's dismissal in the 6th Circuit.
The complaint arose from comments made by Boasberg during a March 2025 judicial conference, where he allegedly warned Chief Justice John Roberts and other justices that ignoring federal court rulings could lead to a constitutional crisis. This meeting occurred shortly before Boasberg issued an injunction to halt deportation flights that the Trump administration had initiated under wartime authorities.
In his ruling, Sutton emphasized that the allegations presented by the Justice Department were not supported by any verifiable evidence or context. He described the complaint as a recycling of unadorned allegations and noted that mere repetition of uncorroborated statements does not form a valid basis for a misconduct complaint. Sutton, appointed by President George W. Bush, also pointed out that if Boasberg did indeed make the comments, they would not diverge significantly from the topics typically discussed in judicial circles and would not breach ethical codes.
The case has drawn attention to the broader tensions surrounding judicial independence amid political pressures, highlighted by Chief Justice Roberts’ reports on threats to court authority and respect for judicial orders. The misconduct complaint initiated by the Justice Department was initially filed with Judge Sri Srinivasan but was transferred due to ongoing related appeals, culminating in Sutton's dismissal in the 6th Circuit.
