Massachusetts Judge Shelley Joseph faces public hearing for letting illegal immigrant escape court in 2018

Joe Dwinell, Boston Herald on Apr 29, 2025

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BOSTON — Judge Shelley Joseph, the $207,855-a-year Boston Municipal Court magistrate, will face a public hearing in June for her “willful judicial misconduct” for allowing an illegal immigrant to slip out a side door to avoid ICE agents.

The Massachusetts Commission on Judicial Conduct told the Boston Herald on Tuesday that a hearing is tentatively set for June 9 in Suffolk Superior Court in Boston. Her attorney, Thomas Hoopes, could not immediately be reached to see if he will go forward with the hearing or strike a deal beforehand.

Joseph is accused of violating the “Code of Judicial Conduct” by “failing to comply with the law,” as the Herald has reported.

Joseph was charged by former U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling, a Trump appointee, of helping a twice-deported illegal immigrant evade federal immigration officials in 2018 while in her Newton court.

Those charges were dropped, and the case was kicked over to the Commission on Judicial Conduct, which set forth its stinging summary of the case that now falls under the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.

The commission rattled off a series of charges — including Joseph’s failure “to cooperate and be candid and honest with judicial disciplinary authorities.”

If her case does proceed, it will mirror an actual trial with the commission and her lawyers presenting evidence before any actions are taken, or not taken, against Joseph.

Her case update comes as Milwaukee Judge Hannah Dugan was charged with felony obstruction and concealing someone from arrest after she let an illegal immigrant domestic violence suspect out of the courthouse through a private exit. The release led to a 20-minute foot chase by authorities, which could have become dangerous and endangered innocent civilians.

Another judge for the Boston Municipal Court last month launched an investigation and issued a contempt of court finding against an ICE agent who arrested a Dominican Republic national defendant in the middle of his trial. Boston District Court Judge Mark Summerville actually referred the ICE agent to the Suffolk DA’s office for potential criminal charges.

After first criticizing ICE for detaining the suspect, Suffolk DA Kevin Hayden rebuked Summerville, calling his actions “patently illegal.”

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