Joshua Kindred Federal Reprimanded Removed

Joshua Kindred, a U.S. District Judge for Alaska, created a hostile work environment for his law clerks -- including unwanted, offensive sexual conduct toward one of them -- and then lied about it, repeatedly, to the very officials investigating him. The Ninth Circuit Judicial Council's own findings, issued after a Special Committee interviewed 21 witnesses and reviewed 700 pages of text messages, state plainly: "throughout these proceedings, Judge Kindred lied to the Chief Judge, the Special Committee, and the Council." The Council found probable cause that Kindred subjected law clerks to regular, unwanted discussions of a sexual nature, ostracized an employee who raised concerns about his behavior, and engaged in unwanted physical and verbal sexual conduct with a former clerk both during and after her clerkship. He also told people with knowledge of his conduct to stay silent. Only when questioned under oath did he finally admit to a sexual encounter with the clerk that he had previously, flatly denied ever occurred. The Judicial Council unanimously ordered Kindred publicly reprimanded, requested his voluntary resignation, and referred the matter to the Judicial Conference for consideration of impeachment. He resigned in July 2024. The Alaska Supreme Court disbarred him in November 2025.