A Massachusetts judge, already involved in a high-profile criminal case over her actions during President Donald Trump’s first term, is now under investigation by state judicial authorities for misconduct. Judge Shelley Joseph, who previously faced criminal charges for allegedly impeding a federal immigration arrest in her courtroom, has been formally accused of willful judicial misconduct by the Massachusetts Judicial Conduct Commission.
In a filing on Monday, the commission laid out charges against Joseph related to the same incident for which criminal charges were initially filed in 2019. However, in 2022, those charges were dropped after prosecutors agreed to dismiss them in exchange for Joseph’s referral of herself to disciplinary authorities.
Her lawyer, Thomas Hoopes, expressed confidence that the upcoming public hearing will provide clarity. “Judge Joseph looks forward to a hearing where all the circumstances finally become public,” Hoopes said in a statement.
At the heart of both the criminal case and the misconduct allegations is an incident in 2018 where Judge Joseph allegedly allowed a defendant, facing deportation, to escape detention by an ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agent by letting him exit the courthouse through a rear door. The defendant was reportedly subject to removal from the United States. This action, critics argue, was in violation of Massachusetts’ judicial conduct and federal immigration laws.
The case has drawn significant attention, particularly due to the tensions surrounding the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration policies and the local resistance from state courts and officials. In 2017, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court had ruled to limit how state courts could cooperate with federal immigration enforcement, a ruling that played a crucial role in this case.
The Judicial Conduct Commission’s formal charges state that Joseph’s actions went beyond the legal limits established by state law. By allegedly helping the defendant evade arrest and subsequently misleading disciplinary authorities, Joseph is accused of “willful judicial misconduct” that undermines public trust in the judiciary.
The commission has requested that the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court appoint a hearing officer to conduct a public hearing on the matter, which could take place within the next 30 to 60 days. If found guilty, Judge Joseph could face removal from her position as a judge in the Boston Municipal Court.
As this case unfolds, it continues to highlight the ongoing conflicts between local courts and federal immigration authorities, raising important questions about the balance of state and federal powers, as well as the ethical responsibilities of judicial officers.
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