Judicial immunity cannot shield a judge from charges that she helped an undocumented immigrant evade federal agents at a courthouse before the case gets resolved, a federal appeals court ruled Monday.

Judges William Kayatta, Ojetta Rogeriee Thompson and Sandra Lynch of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit said Newton District Court Judge Shelley Joseph’s argument that she is protected by judicial immunity is premature and dismissed her interlocutory appeal challenging a lower court’s decision to allow charges against her to go forward. Joseph and her former court officer, Wesley MacGregor, are accused of conspiracy to obstruct justice and aiding and abetting obstruction of justice.