Recent research by legal scholars at New York University, the University of California, Berkeley, and the Brennan Center for Justice paints a stark picture of growing danger to the nation’s federal judiciary. Dozens of active district and appellate judges reported heightened anxiety, sleepless nights, and a surge in personal security measures, including panic buttons, security cameras, and private guards.
Threats are on the rise
The Judicial Conference’s March 2025 report showed a 57% increase in “security incidents of significant concern” over the previous year, and the trend appears set to continue in 2026. Judges described a variety of intimidation tactics, from threatening phone calls to the leaking of home floor plans.
Judges taking extraordinary steps
One judge, speaking on condition of anonymity, admitted to briefly considering an alternative ruling in a case to avoid vitriol that could endanger the judge’s family. After an hour of intense fear, the judge ultimately adhered to the law‑required decision. Another judge reported receiving more than 700 threatening calls after presiding over a Trump administration immigration case, prompting the construction of a safe room.
Impact on families
Many judges expressed deep concern for the safety of their spouses and children. U.S. District Judge Esther Salas, who survived a 2020 attack that left her son dead and her husband wounded, said the current wave of threats feels even more frightening. She noted that unsolicited pizza deliveries bearing the name of her late son have become a disturbing tactic used against judges.
Calls for stronger protection
The studies recommend increased federal funding for judicial security, stricter protection of personal information, and more vigorous prosecution of those who issue threats. While the NYU‑Berkeley report emphasizes the need for additional prosecutions, the Brennan Center stresses that the rule of law is at risk if threats continue unchecked.
Political rhetoric fuels danger
Judge Salas pointed to former President Donald Trump’s repeated attacks on the judiciary as a catalyst for the heightened hostility. Trump has labeled judges who rule against his immigration policies as “crooked” and has suggested, without evidence, that Supreme Court justices who struck down his tariffs were motivated by foreign interests. Such rhetoric, Salas warned, may desensitize the public to harmful attacks on the judicial branch.
What this means for the nation
According to Amrit Singh, director of the Rule of Law Lab at NYU and lead author of one of the reports, “We are in a different era. The volume, intensity, character and modalities of the threats that we are witnessing today are new.” Gowri Ramachandran of the Brennan Center added that long‑term, these threats pose a danger to the rule of law itself.
As the federal judiciary grapples with these challenges, the studies underscore the importance of safeguarding not only the judges but also the integrity of the legal system that underpins American liberty.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
