Key facts
- Federal judges are increasingly employing security measures like panic buttons and private security due to a rise in threats.
- Two new studies highlight the anxiety and safety concerns among federal judges.
- Security incidents of significant concern against federal judges rose 57% in the year ending September 2025.
- One judge considered altering a ruling due to fear for their family's safety.
- Reports recommend increased funding for judicial security and more prosecutions for threats.
Federal judges are increasingly resorting to enhanced security measures, including panic buttons and private security, due to a significant rise in threats and harassment. Two new studies, one from NYU and UC Berkeley in collaboration with the Brennan Center for Justice, detail the extent of these concerns, revealing that many judges feel anxious about their personal safety and that of their families.
One judge admitted to considering an alternative ruling to avoid the vitriol that could endanger their family, while another reported having their home floor plans leaked and subsequently building a safe room after receiving over 700 threatening phone calls, many related to a Trump administration immigration case. The studies highlight a "different era" of threats, characterized by their volume, intensity, and new modalities.
Security incidents of significant concern against federal judges have increased by 57% in the year ending September 2025, with projections indicating a further rise. U.S. District Judge Esther Salas, who lost her son and had her husband wounded in an attack by a litigant, stated that repeated attacks on judges by President Donald Trump and his administration have heightened her concerns about judicial safety.
The reports recommend increased funding for judicial security, greater efforts to protect judges' personal information, and more prosecutions for individuals making threats. The scholars involved emphasize the long-term danger these threats pose to the rule of law.