Boyd repays county $100K for judge salary paid while he was suspended

Former Hawkins County Juvenile Judge Daniel Boyd has paid the county back $100,000 of the approximately $120,000 he was paid in salary and benefits while on suspension awaiting the resolution of his criminal charges.

Hawkins County Mayor Mark DeWitte told the Review that during his initial conversation with Boyd’s attorney Wayne Culbertson he offered $100,000 to make the county whole.

Finance director Eric Buchanan subsequently tallied a total figure for salary and benefits paid from the day Boyd was suspended in August to the day he resigned in February.

“We came up with a little over $120,000,” DeWitte said. “We have received a check for $100,000 with a letter stating that Mr. Boyd intends to pay the remaining amount.”

DeWitte added, “We are accepting the payment with the understanding that it’s a gift with no strings attached.”

Boyd, 48, of Rogersville, was named in an Aug. 14 Hawkins County Grand Jury sealed indictment charging him with three counts of forgery, criminal simulation and bribery pertaining to actions that occurred in his private practice.

On Aug. 16, 2023 Boyd was officially suspended from his Juvenile Judge position by the Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct.

On Feb. 29 Boyd officially tendered his resignation. During his suspension Hawkins County was paying Boyd his salary, as well as an identical salary to Boyd’s replacement on the bench.

DeWitte said the funds repaid by Boyd will go into the General Fund to replace what the county lost when it was paying two Juvenile Judge salaries.

Boyd was sentenced on Feb. 29 by special appointed Judge Kelly Thomas from Knoxville to 18 months of supervised probation and a $400 fine in exchange for guilty pleas to three counts of forgery and one count of criminal simulation. All four charges are Class E felonies.

On May 30 Boyd will appear in Criminal Court again where Judge Thomas will hear his request for Judicial Diversion. If granted Boyd would be eligible to have his record expunged when he completes his probation.