A senior federal judge in Michigan has temporarily stepped away from the bench as he confronts drunken-driving charges tied to an October arrest that only recently came to light.
The announcement came from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, confirming that Judge Thomas Ludington has voluntarily taken a leave of absence while the case unfolds. The court said it had acted in accordance with its responsibilities to the public and the judiciary, emphasizing both the seriousness of the allegations and the presumption of innocence afforded to every citizen.
The controversy intensified after the release of police records and body camera footage detailing the incident.
According to state police, a trooper responded on October 3 to reports of a Cadillac striking two road signs in Gaylord, Michigan, before continuing down the road. The vehicle was later located with extensive damage along the passenger side. The airbags had deployed — though Ludington reportedly told the responding officer he was “not exactly sure why.”
The police report described the smell of alcohol emanating from the vehicle. Ludington denied drinking that evening. When asked about injuries, he reportedly replied, “No. Actually I’m a federal judge.”
Field sobriety tests did not go smoothly. During one exercise, when asked to recite the alphabet, he responded: “A, B, C, D, F, U,” according to the report. He was subsequently taken into custody and transported to the Emmet County Jail after either declining or being unable to complete a breath test. A later blood test registered a blood-alcohol level of 0.27 — more than three times Michigan’s legal limit of 0.08.
The 72-year-old judge now faces misdemeanor charges for operating a vehicle with a blood-alcohol content of 0.17 or more, along with operating while intoxicated. Court proceedings are scheduled in the 90th District Court, with a status hearing set for April 6 and trial slated for May 8.
The episode remained largely out of public view for months. It surfaced after reporting by the The Detroit News brought attention to the arrest in late January, followed by publication of the body camera footage.
Meanwhile, the judicial accountability group Fix the Court has filed a misconduct complaint with the 6th Circuit Judicial Council, calling for further scrutiny and questioning why the case had remained under the radar for so long.
For now, the gavel is silent. The case moves forward, and so does the uncomfortable question of how a figure entrusted with upholding the law finds himself answering to it.
