Indicted juvenile judge agrees to forgo salary six months after suspension

Suspended Hawkins County Juvenile judge Daniel Boyd informed the County Mayor’s office last week that he would be foregoing any further payment while his suspension is pending.

Boyd was served a sealed indictment warrant on Aug. 15 of last year on bribery and forgery charges. On Aug. 16 Boyd was officially suspended from his Juvenile Judge position by the Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct.

Hawkins County budget director Eric Buchanan told the Review he received a letter last week from Boyd stating he will forgo payment of his judge salary for the duration of his suspension. His salary halt took effect Feb. 16.

Buchanan said Boyd’s gross monthly pay is $16,995. For the six months since Boyd’s suspension Hawkins County has paid approximately $101,970.

During that suspension the county has been paying double for the juvenile judge position, first a state appointee, and then permanent substitute Amy Skelton who was appointed by the County Commission in September.

County Mayor Mark DeWitte said he appreciates Boyd’s willingness to relieve a significant burden on Hawkins County taxpayers.

“(Taxpayers) were paying both the salary of Mr. Boyd and Ms. Amy Skelton when she was appointed in September 2023,” DeWitte said. “Per state law, the county was obligated to pay Mr. Boyd’s salary until his court case found him guilty, he resigned, or decided to forego his pay. Should Mr. Boyd be found innocent, his pay would be reinstated, and Ms. Skelton’s temporary judgeship would end. I would like to thank Mr. Boyd and Ms. Skelton for working with Hawkins County through this situation.”

Boyd 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 alleged crimes that occurred in his private practice.

He is accused of forging the names of Chancellor Doug Jenkins and Clerk and Master Brent Price on a Default Judgement of Divorce on Oct. 7, 2022. The indictments also allege that Boyd attempted to bribe a witness who was expected to be called before the Tennessee Supreme Court’s Board of Professional Responsibility during a disciplinary hearing in April of 2023.

Boyd is scheduled to appear in Criminal Court on Feb. 29 for a status hearing. A trial date has been set for March 28.