Massachusetts High Court Rebukes Judge in ICE Courthouse Controversy

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court publicly reprimanded District Court Judge Shelley M. Richmond Joseph for creating an appearance of impropriety by ordering the courtroom audio system shut off during a sidebar about a plan to release an immigrant to a courthouse lockup to evade ICE; the court found she neither explicitly nor implicitly approved the plan and was unaware of the attorney's scheme, though a hearing officer had recommended discipline following the investigation into the 2018–2019 case. Joseph remains on administrative duties after prior federal proceedings related to the case.