In a significant decision, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has allowed a lawsuit against Detroit Circuit Court Judge Kenneth King to proceed, rejecting his claim to judicial immunity. This legal move comes after the judge handcuffed a 15-year-old student and conducted a mock trial, actions considered outside his official judicial capacity. The incident, occurring in 2024, began when the student, identified as “ELG,” fell asleep during a field trip to Judge King’s courtroom and was subsequently subjected to the mock trial, live-streamed on the court’s YouTube channel.
Observers argue that this event has emphasized the boundaries of judicial immunity, highlighting that not all actions performed by a judge within a courtroom qualify under this protection. As noted in the court’s opinion, a clear distinction must be maintained between judicial acts and personal pursuits within the courtroom. Judge King’s actions were determined to be personal, possibly intending to mimic the reality show “Scared Straight,” as opposed to any sanctioned judicial function.
The student’s mother initially filed the federal suit in Michigan, alleging violations of her daughter’s rights, including Fourth Amendment violations and false imprisonment. Legal documents reveal no official court records or case numbers related to the mock trial, reinforcing the claim that this was not an authorized legal proceeding. Appeals regarding the judge’s claim to immunity led to affirmation by the Sixth Circuit that the mock trial did not constitute a judicial act, further supported by the determination that the courtroom was not in session at the time.
Representing the plaintiff are attorneys Robert G. Kamenec, Gary N. Felly, and James J. Harrington IV of Fieger Law, while Judge King is defended by Todd Russell Perkins of Perkins Law Group PLLC. Despite attempts to justify his actions as educational, the court noted Judge King acted outside any judicial authority, a position that has widespread legal implications for judicial conduct in non-traditional scenarios.
For more information, the ongoing litigation is referenced as ELG et al. v. Kenneth King et al., case number 25-1614, in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. This decision underscores the judiciary’s accountability, emphasizing the limits of judicial behavior and reinforcing that personal activities conducted under the guise of judicial authority may indeed attract legal scrutiny.