MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Tennessee General Assembly Joint Ad Hoc committee voted Thursday to remove Shelby County Judge A. Melissa Boyd from office. The vote was unanimous.
The Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct recommended the removal in December after Boyd’s suspension nearly a year ago.
Before she can be removed, the speakers will set a date for a joint convention of the House and Senate with at least 10 days public notice. The members will hear the case for removal and then the defense, and then the joint convention will take a vote.
This all comes after Boyd reportedly admitted to using cocaine while on the job, according to the Board of Judicial Conduct.
In December 2023, Boyd was also charged with coercing and harassing her campaign manager. Boyd has been suspended from her job since May of 2023 and has had two public reprimands.
Her current term ends 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 supposedly occurred 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.
Boyd was booked into jail in December then released after paying a $5,000 bond, according to jail records.
In a release Dec. 14, the Board of Judicial Conduct said it would place 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.
