He decried violence and disregard of court decisions.
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts issued his 2024 year-end annual report on the state of the federal judiciary this past week. He advocated for the independence of the Supreme Court, warning of a number of threats to its operations.
The chief justice cited a “significant” increase in threats of violence, noting that the U.S. Marshals Service has investigated over 1,000 such threats against federal judges in the last five years. Some of the most extreme cases have required judicial officers to wear bulletproof vests to their place of employment.
Chief Justice Roberts also highlighted an increase in instances where “elected officials from across the political spectrum have raised the specter of open disregard for federal court rulings.”
“Attempts to intimidate judges for their rulings in cases are inappropriate and should be vigorously opposed,” the chief justice stated in his 15-page report. “Public officials certainly have a right to criticize the work of the judiciary, but they should be mindful that intemperance in their statements when it comes to judges may prompt dangerous reactions by others.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Chief Justice Roberts to receive God’s wisdom as he presides over the Supreme Court.
- For members of the Legislative and Executive Branches to respect the role of the federal judiciary as part of the Constitution’s governmental checks and balances.
Sources: Reuters, RedState, AP News
