This section features powerful public letters and statements written by members of the legal community who chose to speak out—or step down—in defense of democratic principles and the rule of law. These include open letters denouncing institutional complicity, resignation letters from government lawyers refusing to comply with ethically fraught orders, and personal appeals invoking the profession’s highest ideals. Together, these documents offer a window into how lawyers have responded to democratic backsliding in real time—refusing silence, choosing integrity, and asserting the legal profession’s duty to country over power.
Letters of Dissent
Bove Nomination Opposed by Judges Who Sat on the Same Bench
More than 75 former federal and state judges, including two retired members of the Third Circuit, have publicly opposed Emil Bove’s nomination to that same court, citing a pattern of misconduct, political entanglement, and disregard …
July 15, 2025
ABA Responds to DOJ Restrictions on Judicial Nominee Evaluations
On June 10, 2025, ABA President William R. Bay sent a formal letter to U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi expressing deep concern over the Department of Justice’s decision to restrict the ABA Standing Committee on …
June 10, 2025
Judges Condemn Arrest of Wisconsin Judge and Attacks on Judicial Independence
More than 150 retired state and federal judges have signed a letter condemning the Trump Administration’s arrest of Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan and escalating threats against the judiciary. The letter, addressed to Attorney …
May 7, 2025
Letter Opposing the Confirmation of Ed Martin as U.S. Attorney
On May 1, 2025, the Society for the Rule of Law Institute submitted a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee strongly opposing the confirmation of Ed Martin as U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. …
May 1, 2025
National Judicial College joins in national statement defending judicial independence
On May 1, 2025, the National Judicial College (NJC) joined several major judicial organizations in issuing a powerful joint statement defending judicial independence amid escalating threats and political pressure. The statement reaffirms that judges must …
May 1, 2025- More Letters
Letters of Resignation
Read the resignation letter by Denise Cheung, a veteran D.C. federal prosecutor
In this powerful resignation letter, veteran federal prosecutor Denise Cheung details her decision to step down after refusing a directive from the Trump administration to freeze assets and initiate a criminal investigation into an environmental …
February 18, 2025
Open Letter to my Russian Friends: Ukraine is Not Crimea
On EJIL:Talk!, Alain Pellet reflects on his resignation as counsel for Russia before the International Court of Justice, prompted by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. While distinguishing the 2014 Crimea situation—where he believes the population …
March 3, 2022- More Letters