Judge Sutton Dismisses DOJ Misconduct Complaint Against Judge Boasberg

Chief Judge Jeffrey S. Sutton of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed a judicial misconduct complaint filed by the United States Department of Justice against U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg. The Justice Department alleged that during a March 2025 conference, Boasberg told Chief Justice John Roberts and other judges that the administration of Donald Trump would trigger a constitutional crisis by disregarding federal court rulings.

These alleged remarks occurred shortly before Boasberg blocked deportation flights of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador, which the administration had authorized using the Alien Enemies Act. To avoid conflicts while the court considered related appeals, Chief Justice John Roberts transferred the misconduct complaint from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to the 6th Circuit.

In his December 19, 2025, dismissal order, Sutton ruled that the Justice Department failed to provide evidence or reliable sources for the alleged comments. He stated that even if the remarks were made, they would not violate judicial ethics because expressing concerns about executive branch compliance in a closed-door conference aligns with customary discussions on judicial independence.