Appeals Court Dismisses DOJ Misconduct Complaint Against Judge Boasberg
Judge Jeffrey S. Sutton dismissed a DOJ misconduct complaint against U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg for lack of corroborating evidence.
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Overview
Chief Judge Jeffrey S. Sutton of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit dismissed a judicial misconduct complaint against U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg on Dec. 19, saying the Justice Department failed to provide an attached source to corroborate allegations.
The complaint, filed in July by Chad Mizelle, then-chief of staff to Attorney General Pam Bondi, alleged Boasberg made remarks at a March judicial conference warning the Trump administration could trigger a constitutional crisis, and came days before his order blocking deportation flights under the Alien Enemies Act.
Sutton wrote that the Justice Department did not supply requested evidence about what Boasberg allegedly said, when he said it or the context, and that recirculating unadorned allegations does not support a valid misconduct complaint, according to court documents.
Boasberg had ordered carriers to turn around two planes bound for El Salvador and found probable cause to hold officials in criminal contempt over summary removals of Venezuelan migrants, actions that drew criticism from President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers.
The dismissal came amid ongoing partisan attacks and an impeachment inquiry supported by some Senate Republicans, and court records show the matter was transferred to the 6th Circuit after Chief Judge Sri Srinivasan asked Chief Justice John Roberts to move the case on Dec. 19.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present this story neutrally: they rely on court documents and quotes from the dismissal order, note the Justice Department’s lack of response and the judge’s refusal to comment, and provide context (Roberts’ concerns, transfer procedure). Language is factual, avoids loaded terms, and emphasizes procedural findings rather than partisan framing.
FAQ
The DOJ alleged that Judge Boasberg violated judicial canons by warning at a March 11, 2025, Judicial Conference meeting that the Trump administration could trigger a constitutional crisis by disregarding court rulings, days before he blocked deportation flights.
Sutton dismissed the complaint on December 19, 2025, because the DOJ failed to provide corroborating evidence, such as the source or context of Boasberg's alleged remarks, stating that recirculating unadorned allegations does not support a valid misconduct complaint.
Boasberg ordered carriers to turn around deportation flights to El Salvador under the Alien Enemies Act and found probable cause to hold officials in criminal contempt for summary removals of Venezuelan migrants.
The complaint was transferred from the D.C. Circuit to the Sixth Circuit due to potential conflicts, at the request of Chief Judge Sri Srinivasan to Chief Justice John Roberts.
The misconduct complaint has been dismissed with no further pending charges or disciplinary actions from it; however, Boasberg's contempt probe against Trump officials has been largely halted by the D.C. Circuit, amid ongoing impeachment inquiries by some Republicans.
