In a significant ruling, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has dismissed a misconduct complaint against U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg. The Justice Department filed the complaint, which stemmed from comments allegedly made by Boasberg regarding the Trump administration's deportation policies, particularly concerning flights to a controversial prison in El Salvador.
The dismissal, issued by Chief Judge Jeffrey S. Sutton, took place on December 19, but was only revealed recently. The complaint was rooted in statements reportedly made by Boasberg in March 2025, where he warned Chief Justice John Roberts and other judges that the administration might provoke a constitutional crisis by disregarding federal court rulings.
Boasberg had recently blocked deportation flights utilizing wartime authorities, leading to further scrutiny of his actions. In his decision to dismiss the complaint, Sutton noted that the Justice Department failed to provide adequate evidence or context to support the allegations against Boasberg.
Sutton stated, A recycling of unadorned allegations with no reference to a source does not corroborate them. And a repetition of uncorroborated statements rarely supplies a basis for a valid misconduct complaint. He emphasized that even if Boasberg's comments were accurate, they were not out of line for discussions at the conference and would not violate any ethical standards.
Moreover, Sutton highlighted that the remarks would not stray from important conversations surrounding judicial independence, especially given the current climate of threats against judicial figures.
The case was initially brought before Judge Sri Srinivasan, chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, who referred it to the 6th Circuit to avoid any potential conflicts related to ongoing appeals regarding deportation issues. This dismissal reflects the complex interplay of judicial conduct and administration in politically charged environments.
