On May 2, 2025, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell permanently struck down an executive order issued by former President Donald Trump that targeted the law firm Perkins Coie. The order, which revoked security clearances and …
Judges: Targets and Resistance
US judge arrested after allegedly obstructing immigration agents
On April 25, 2025, Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested by federal agents and charged with obstruction and concealing an individual to avoid arrest. The charges stem from an incident in her courtroom …
Maldives: Judiciary’s Independence Threatened
Human Rights Watch has called on the Maldives government to reinstate three Supreme Court justices—Dr. Azmiralda Zahir, Mahaz Ali Zahir, and Husnu Al Suood—who were suspended by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) under what observers …
“An Attack on All of Us”: Judges Condemn Threats to Judicial Independence
At an April 10 panel hosted by the National Constitution Center, four federal judges—Michelle Childs (D.C. Circuit), Margaret McKeown (9th Circuit), Beth Bloom (S.D. Fla.), and Stephen Bough (W.D. Mo.)—issued a stark warning: escalating threats, …
Shortage of immigration judges could slow down Trump deportation goals
The Trump administration has created a major bottleneck in the immigration court system by firing over two dozen immigration judges and prompting the resignation or reassignment of more than 100 others, resulting in a 70% …
Judiciary must be protected, says Macron, as judge who sentenced Le Pen put under guard
French President Emmanuel Macron has publicly defended the independence of the judiciary following threats against Judge Bénédicte de Perthuis, who sentenced far-right leader Marine Le Pen to a five-year election ban for embezzlement of European …
Brazilian Supreme Court panel orders ex-President Bolsonaro to stand trial over alleged coup plan
On March 26, 2025, a panel of Brazil’s Supreme Court justices unanimously voted to indict former President Jair Bolsonaro for his role in an alleged attempt to overturn the results of the 2022 election and …
Judges face rise in threats as Musk blasts them over rulings
A surge in threats against U.S. federal judges has raised alarm following a wave of inflammatory social media posts from Elon Musk and allies of President Trump, targeting judges who have ruled against key administration …
Argentina: Milei Undermines Judicial Independence
President Javier Milei appointed two Supreme Court justices—Federal Judge Ariel Lijo and legal scholar Manuel García-Mansilla—by presidential decree, bypassing the constitutionally mandated Senate approval process after months of failing to secure the required two-thirds majority. …
Two Iranian supreme court judges shot dead
On January 18, 2025, two senior Iranian Supreme Court judges, Ali Razini and Mohammad Moghiseh, were shot dead in a premeditated assassination inside the Supreme Court building in Tehran. The attacker also killed himself while …