In brief
The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, led by Chief Judge Jeffrey S. Sutton, dismissed a complaint brought against Judge James E. Boasberg. The complaint stemmed from remarks made by Boasberg at a judicial conference in March 2025, where he expressed concerns about potential constitutional crises linked to deportation policies under President Trump's administration. Sutton noted that the Justice Department failed to provide supporting documentation for the allegations and indicated that the judge's comments were not unethical. This decision releases Boasberg from scrutiny amid ongoing discussions about judicial independence.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court has dismissed a misconduct complaint filed by the Justice Department against U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg, who had previously clashed with the Trump administration over deportation policies.
The complaint was dismissed by Chief Judge Jeffrey S. Sutton of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on December 19, a decision that only became public this weekend. It originated from comments made by Boasberg during a judicial conference in March 2025, where he allegedly warned other judges, including Chief Justice John Roberts, about possible constitutional crises stemming from the administration’s actions.
Sutton highlighted the Justice Department’s failure to provide any documentation to substantiate the allegations against Boasberg, stating, A recycling of unadorned allegations with no reference to a source does not corroborate them. He also mentioned that Boasberg's comments did not clearly breach any ethical standards, reflecting broader concerns about judicial independence as conveyed in Roberts' reports.
The initial complaint was filed with Judge Sri Srinivasan of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, but was subsequently transferred to Sutton’s court as it was deemed unrelated to ongoing related appeals over deportation cases.
Representatives from both the Justice Department and Boasberg's court have yet to respond to requests for comments regarding the dismissal.
