WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court judge has dismissed a misconduct complaint filed by the Justice Department against U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg. The complaint arose from remarks made by Boasberg at a judicial conference in March 2025, suggesting that the administration could trigger a constitutional crisis by overlooking federal court rulings. This was just days before Boasberg halted deportation flights ordered by President Donald Trump, utilizing wartime authorities linked to an 18th-century law.
The dismissal, issued by Chief Judge Jeffrey S. Sutton of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on December 19, has only recently surfaced. In his ruling, Sutton pointed out that the Justice Department failed to provide evidence or context for Boasberg's alleged comments, stating, 'A recycling of unadorned allegations with no reference to a source does not corroborate them.' He further remarked that the Justice's claim did not provide a sufficient basis for a valid misconduct complaint.
Even if the comments were made, Sutton argued they might not stray far from acceptable conversation topics at such judicial gatherings and would likely not breach ethical guidelines. Notably, Chief Justice John Roberts had raised similar concerns about judicial independence in his 2024 year-end report, indicating ongoing threats to judicial security and respect for court rulings throughout history.
The original misconduct complaint was directed to Judge Sri Srinivasan of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, but it was transferred to the 6th Circuit due to pending appeals related to the deportation case. Both the Justice Department and Boasberg’s court did not immediately respond to requests for comments.
The dismissal, issued by Chief Judge Jeffrey S. Sutton of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on December 19, has only recently surfaced. In his ruling, Sutton pointed out that the Justice Department failed to provide evidence or context for Boasberg's alleged comments, stating, 'A recycling of unadorned allegations with no reference to a source does not corroborate them.' He further remarked that the Justice's claim did not provide a sufficient basis for a valid misconduct complaint.
Even if the comments were made, Sutton argued they might not stray far from acceptable conversation topics at such judicial gatherings and would likely not breach ethical guidelines. Notably, Chief Justice John Roberts had raised similar concerns about judicial independence in his 2024 year-end report, indicating ongoing threats to judicial security and respect for court rulings throughout history.
The original misconduct complaint was directed to Judge Sri Srinivasan of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, but it was transferred to the 6th Circuit due to pending appeals related to the deportation case. Both the Justice Department and Boasberg’s court did not immediately respond to requests for comments.
