Judge arrested on domestic battery charge, dispatched to judge's jail

By now all FWIW readers will have heard about the arrest of Judge Carl Boyd on a domestic battery charge. For those needing a refresher, here is a link to the CBS2 story about the incident. (The accompanying photograph was also taken from CBS2.)

Most FWIW readers will have also have seen, or have had the opportunity to see, the statement issued yesterday by Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans concerning Judge Boyd. Here is that statement:

On September 21, 2022, the Chicago Police Department filed a complaint against Circuit Judge Carl B. Boyd, alleging that, on September 20, Judge Boyd committed the offense of domestic battery, in violation of 720 ILCS 5/12-3.2(a)(l), a Class A misdemeanor.

Following a September 21 meeting of the Circuit Court of Cook County Executive Committee, I issued an order assigning Judge Boyd to restricted duties or duties other than judicial duties in the office of the First Municipal District Presiding Judge E. Kenneth Wright, Jr., subject to further order of the court. Wednesday’s order was issued to promote public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary and is effective immediately. Also, as a result of the Executive Committee meeting, this matter has been referred to the Judicial Inquiry Board.

The Executive Committee is composed of the Circuit Court’s presiding judges.

Also, I have asked the Illinois Supreme Court to assign a judge from outside of Cook County to hear Judge Boyd’s criminal case, to avoid even the appearance of impropriety.

Up until the date of his arrest, Judge Boyd had been fulfilling his assignment in the Sixth Municipal District in Markham, Illinois.

"[R]estricted duties or duties other than judicial duties in the office of the First Municipal District Presiding Judge" is the long way of saying "judge's jail."

Because this is retention season, and because actual voters are landing here looking for information, let us get this clearly stated: Judge Boyd is not on this year's retention ballot.

Boyd was elected to a 2nd Subcircuit vacancy in 2012; he was an unsuccessful countywide candidate in 2010. He was retained in 2018 and is not scheduled to appear before the voters on a retention ballot until 2024.

Boyd was arrested before, in 2012, on the eve of his ultimately successful primary election: He was pulled over by police who discovered 12 campaign signs for one of Boyd's 2012 primary opponents in the back seat of his car. Although charged with misdameanor theft at the time, FWIW coverage considered whether removal of an opponent's campaign signs from places where those signs might be prohibited in the first place, could possibly constitute an offense.

As with so many cases, including so many cases involving public figures other than judges, the charges were widely reported, but the disposition was not. In any event, the incident involving signs did not prove an impediment to Judge Boyd's career.