ABA Journal

Court Security

620 ABA Journal Court Security articles.

2nd Circuit partly rules for jury-nullification advocate challenging limit on protests near courthouses

A jury-nullification protester wasn’t able to persuade a federal appeals court that a New York law banning some protests near courthouses is unconstitutional on its face.

Congress needs to enact legislation and provide funding to ensure the safety of our judges

A free, fair and unbiased judiciary is essential to the rule of law and a properly functioning democracy. But judges cannot do their jobs effectively if they are under attack or feel their families are being threatened.

‘My guns are bigger,’ judge allegedly declared before pointing Colt .45 at lawyers in courtroom

A Houston lawyer has submitted an affidavit alleging that a West Virginia judge removed a gun from a holster under his robe and pointed it at attorneys defending an energy company.

Bill to expand Supreme Court security heads to Biden for signature

The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a bill to extend U.S. Supreme Court security to justices' immediate family members and sent it to President Joe Biden for his signature.

Court is closed for extermination after cockroach release during protesters’ arraignment

Exterminators were called to a courthouse in Albany, New York, on Tuesday after hundreds of cockroaches were released during an arraignment.

Former judge is killed at his home; suspect, a former defendant, said to have other targets

Updated: A former Wisconsin judge found dead from gunshot wounds at his home Friday had once sentenced the suspect in the shooting to six years in prison.

‘Are you serious, judge?’ Twice-asked question leads to lawyer’s public censure

Updated: A state appeals court in New York has imposed a public censure on a lawyer who responded to a question with a question during an oral argument before a federal appeals court in December 2019.

Supreme Court justices get around-the-clock security after leak of draft abortion opinion; 25 state AGs call for action

U.S. Supreme Court justices began getting around-the-clock security last week, as protesters who fear an end to abortion rights gathered outside the homes of conservative justices.

Judge’s COVID-19 protocols violated defendant’s right to a public trial, 9th Circuit rules

A federal appeals court ruled Monday that a defendant’s Sixth Amendment right to a public trial was violated when a trial judge allowed an audio stream but not video access to the proceedings.

New law toughens stock disclosure requirements for federal judges; separate ethics bill faces ‘steep climb’

President Joe Biden on Friday signed into law a bill that strengthens financial disclosure requirements for federal judges.

Will Supreme Court adopt high-tech tools to fight security breaches?

The U.S. Supreme Court could take several measures to increase security following the leak of Justice Samuel Alito’s draft opinion to Politico.

Where are the other draft opinions in SCOTUS abortion case? So far, there are none, report says

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s draft opinion overturning Roe v. Wade is the only draft opinion circulating in the abortion case, according to a report by Politico.

Texas judge is reprimanded following the shackling of 2 lawyers in courtroom

A Houston family court judge has been publicly reprimanded for ordering two lawyers to be escorted to the jury box by a bailiff who shackled them to a chair while court proceedings continued.

Man who failed to obtain restraining order against nephew is accused of shooting him outside courthouse

Criminal Justice

Former judge faces prison time after pleading guilty to sexual assault of 2 court employees

A former judge in Washington, who was accused of sexually assaulting two former court employees, agreed to a plea deal as his trial was set to begin Monday.

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