MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Tennessee Governor Bill Lee accepted Shelby County Judge A. Melissa Boyd's letter of resignation from the 30th Judicial District at Memphis on Tuesday, April 2, according to a letter from Chief Counsel to the Governor Erin Merrick.
An updated letter dated April 2, 2024, from Brian S. Faughnan of Faughnan Law to Michell Long, the Administrative Director, said, "Judge Boyd has communicated to her lawyers that she is willing to move her resignation date forward. Accordingly, please treat this letter as Judge Boyd’s indication that she is resigning from her position as a Criminal Court Judge for the 30th Judicial District at Memphis effective immediately."
This latest letter comes after one sent March 29, which indicated Judge Boyd intended to resign effective May 31st.
On April 2, a letter from Chief Counsel to the Governor Erin Merrick confirmed Governor Bill Lee has accepted Judge Boyd's "immediate resignation."
Sen. Raumesh Akbari of Memphis said the reason for the immediate resignation was so that it would take place while the state legislature was still in session. Boyd’s initial resignation date of May 31 would take place after the 2024 session is over.
Now the process starts in replacing Boyd’s seat, which is complicated by pending legislation Senate Bill 2517, which would move her judicial seat to the fourth district, something which Sen. Akbari said would increase the case load for other Shelby County judges.
“If the legislation were to pass, it’s going to remove a civil court judge and a criminal court judge,” she said. “Our judges who are already on the bench have maintained they’re working as fast as they can and they’re already scheduling cases into next year.”
SB2517 is still under consideration in both the Tennessee House and Senate.
If the bill does not pass, the process to fill Boyd’s judicial seat involves candidates applying for the position, a committee selecting three finalists and then the governor choosing the candidate. That candidate would then run for the position of judge in the next election, which would be August 2024.
On March 27, a judge granted a motion by prosecutors to revoke bond for Boyd after she reportedly failed a drug screening.
Then, Boyd appeared in court for a bond hearing as she faces charges of coercion of a witness and harassment. Boyd had been booked into jail in December then released after paying a $5,000 bond, according to jail records. That bond was revoked in court Wednesday and Boyd was rebooked into the Shelby County Jail.
During a previous hearing, prosecutors said Boyd tested positive for marijuana on Jan. 3, then went into treatment. They said she was released Feb. 29, but then tested positive for cocaine and alcohol on March 12. They asked the court to revoke her $5,000 bond for failing her bond conditions.
Her case is set to go to trial in April.
A Tennessee General Assembly Joint Ad Hoc committee voted earlier in March to remove Boyd from office. The Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct recommended the removal in December after Boyd’s suspension nearly a year ago after the Board said Boyd reportedly admitted to using cocaine while on the job.
Boyd was suspended from her job in May of 2023 and had two public reprimands. Her current term was scheduled to end in August of 2030.
Boyd, who was appointed Criminal Court Division 9 Judge in August 2022, was indicted for allegedly coercing her former campaign manager to "testify falsely or withhold truthful testimony" between Nov. 2022 and March 2023, court records said.
At the time, Boyd was being investigated by the Board of Judicial Conduct, but it is unclear what proceeding the former campaign manager was testifying in.
Boyd was also charged with harassment, which reportedly happened between Jan. 2023 and March 2023. According to court records, Boyd allegedly communicated with someone “without lawful purpose,” and the grand jury deemed her intent was to “annoy, offend, alarm or frighten” this person.
In a release Dec. 14, the Board of Judicial Conduct said it placed Boyd on interim suspension effective immediately. She was prohibited from holding court, issuing subpoenas, setting cases, issuing warrants, setting or changing bonds, administering oaths or issuing rulings.
Editor's Note: This story originally reported Judge Boyd had resigned on April 1. The first letter only stated her intent to resign as of May 31, 2024. The latest letter from Gov. Lee confirms that he has accepted her resignation.