By Gabe Roth and Manny Marotta

On Oct. 3, 2025, Judge Thomas Ludington of E.D. Michigan was arrested for driving under the influence. According to court and law enforcement records, Ludington was registering a blood alcohol level of 0.17, more than twice the legal limit, at the time of his arrest. His trial is scheduled to begin later this month.

The catch? This news was hidden from the public for four months, and the judge continued his work as usual. He was even assigned a case earlier today. He has made no public statement, and the court has offered no indication of whether he plans to seek treatment, retire or take other remedial steps.

In response, we sent a letter this week to Jon Steffy, Ludington’s attorney, seeking additional information about the circumstances surrounding the arrest and Ludington’s current status, as an initial fact-finding effort to determine whether further action is warranted.

We are especially concerned about the prolonged silence following the incident. Judges should be held to a higher ethical standard, and the delayed disclosure of the DUI undermines public confidence in the judiciary — and makes us unsure whether the judiciary is taking Ludington’s severe misstep seriously.

While we have not yet filed a formal judicial misconduct complaint, we continue to consider such a step, depending on whether and how Luddington and Steffy respond. Our focus is not on punishing Ludington but on showing the judiciary that expedient accountability is important to maintaining trust in the third branch.

As Ludington’s trial approaches (scheduled to start on Feb. 27), we plan to continue monitoring developments and evaluating whether the facts support a formal complaint under the JCDA or other action.