The Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct has recommended Shelby County Judge Melissa Boyd’s removal from office.
According to the Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct, Boyd, a Shelby County judge who was recently arrested, admits to using cocaine on the job.
Boyd was also charged in December 2023 with coercion and harassment of her campaign manager. Boyd has been suspended from her employment since May 2023 and has received two public reprimands.
The letter, signed by Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally and Speaker Cameron Sexton, recommends her removal from office. Her current term ends in August 2030.
Boyd, who was appointed Criminal Court Division 9 Judge in August 2022, was accused of allegedly coercing her former campaign manager to “testify falsely or withhold truthful testimony” between November 2022 and March 2023, according to court documents.
Boyd was under investigation by the Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct at the time, but it is unclear in which proceeding the former campaign manager testified.
Boyd was also charged with harassment, which allegedly occurred between January and March 2023. According to court records, Boyd reportedly spoke with someone without lawful purpose, and the grand jury determined that her objective was to annoy, offend, alarm, or intimidate this individual.
Boyd was booked into jail in December but released after posting a $5,000 bond, according to jail records.
The Board of Judicial Conduct said in a release on December 14 that Boyd would be placed on interim suspension starting immediately. She was barred from convening court, issuing subpoenas, scheduling cases, issuing warrants, establishing or altering bonds, administering oaths, and issuing decisions.