Court Security

As judges face more threats, only the Supreme Court gets new security funds

The deal Congress passed to end the 43-day government shutdown boosted security funding for the Supreme Court, freeing up millions of dollars to support round-the-clock protection for the nine justices.

Nov 25, 2025 9:57 AM CST

Federal courts furlough some staff as money runs out; Supreme Court will close to the public

The federal judiciary ran out of money for full, paid operations Monday, according to an announcement by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.

Oct 20, 2025 10:02 AM CDT

How the federal judiciary will continue operations during shutdown

The federal judiciary will tap funding, such as court fee balances, to temporarily continue paid operations during the government shutdown.

Oct 2, 2025 2:40 PM CDT

From Courtroom to Clickbait: Judge reflects on viral video livestreams in his court

What was once a quiet corner of Texas’ justice system has become a viral spectacle, thanks to a mysterious YouTube account that reposts his court’s livestreams. Today, Texas Judge David Fleischer is an accidental internet star.

Sep 3, 2025 10:17 AM CDT

Can you bring a service dog to court?

“Service animals are allowed to accompany people with disabilities in all spaces run by state and local governments, businesses and nonprofit organizations where the general public can go,” according to the Americans with Disabilities Act. But if the service animal isn’t specifically designated for the person appearing before a federal judge, is the animal still allowed?

Aug 28, 2025 2:16 PM CDT

Retired judge sexually assaulted assistant in courthouse stairwell, lied to investigators, federal indictment says

A retired superior court judge in Fresno County, California, has been charged in a federal indictment with an alleged sexual assault of a judicial assistant and then lying about that attack and about a second incident.

Aug 25, 2025 3:57 PM CDT

Court clerk staffers in New Orleans dig through landfill to find wrongly tossed court records

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry has ordered the Louisiana State Police to investigate why criminal court records were tossed into a landfill, forcing criminal clerk of court staffers to wade through the debris last week to recover them.

Aug 14, 2025 9:26 AM CDT

Judges seek greater security amid escalating threats

Today, the judiciary grapples with a troubling reality: Ensuring justice while living in fear of retaliation. Consequently, judges are requesting additional financial support after a recent slew of attacks and threats against them and their families.

Jul 29, 2025 1:54 PM CDT

Report of man with knife at Chicago federal courthouse spurs police, FBI response

Police and the FBI responded Tuesday when a man said to be armed with a knife in the lobby of the federal courthouse in Chicago threatened to harm himself, according to a report by the Chicago Sun-Times.

Jul 22, 2025 3:26 PM CDT

ABA Commission on Immigration launches new program to respond to ICE’s courthouse arrests

The Immigration Court Observation and Awareness Project aims to identify trends and systemic issues by asking volunteers to observe short preliminary hearings and record their observations. The commission plans to use this data to better support noncitizens’ access to counsel and due process rights.

Jun 11, 2025 11:33 AM CDT

Federal defender program will run out of funds to pay panel attorneys, court officials warn

Lawyers appointed to represent federal criminal defendants through panels of the Criminal Justice Act won’t be paid for the last couple of months of the fiscal year because of funding shortfalls, court officials warn.

Jun 5, 2025 3:20 PM CDT

The Next Day

Today is the next day I never imagined we would see. Attacks on the rule of law, judges, lawyers and the profession. The apparent disregard of due process. And now attacks on the ABA. All of this from our own government. The frequency and intensity show no sign of lessening.

Jun 1, 2025 10:00 AM CDT

Protecting fair and impartial courts is a key tenet of ABA advocacy

Given the fundamental role that fair and impartial courts have in upholding the rule of law, the American Bar Association has long made judicial independence a cornerstone of its advocacy.

Jun 1, 2025 12:10 AM CDT

Sharp spike in threats to judges prompts calls for more security

A spike in threats against federal judges since President Donald Trump took office is prompting calls for new funding and security measures, with current and former jurists, lawmakers and law enforcement officials saying existing protections are not enough.

May 30, 2025 1:51 PM CDT

Justice Jackson rips ‘relentless attacks’ on judges

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson denounced what she called “relentless attacks” on the federal judiciary, saying efforts to intimidate judges were threatening the Constitution and the rule of law. “The attacks are not random,” Jackson said. “They seem designed to intimidate those of us who serve in this critical capacity.”

May 2, 2025 8:10 AM CDT