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 General Pamela Bondi, denounces recent actions as deliberate efforts to intimidate judges who have ruled against the administration. The arrest …
Amid growing political attacks on the judiciary, U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts delivered a firm defense of judicial independence, stating that an autonomous judiciary is essential to balance the powers of Congress and the presidency. Speaking in Buffalo at an event marking the 125th anniversary of the federal courts in Western New York, Roberts emphasized …
Fourteen current and former Mexican federal judges have filed a human rights petition with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), alleging that Mexico’s controversial 2024 judicial reform violated their rights and undermined judicial independence. Filed by the Vance Center for International Justice, the petition highlights how the reform—enacted under former President Andrés Manuel López …
A new Reuters investigation has uncovered a disturbing wave of threats and harassment directed at U.S. federal judges and their families after rulings against the Trump administration. At least 11 judges and their relatives have been targeted, with incidents ranging from online death threats and doxxing to bomb scares, “swatting” incidents, and anonymous pizza deliveries …
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 government access for all Perkins Coie employees, was ruled unconstitutional. Judge Howell emphasized the unprecedented nature of the order, stating …
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 where Judge Dugan allegedly helped a Mexican national evade immigration agents during a scheduled court appearance. The FBI claims Dugan …
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 describe as politically motivated disciplinary actions. The suspensions occurred as the Supreme Court was preparing to rule on a politically …
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, intimidation, and political attacks on judges are eroding public trust and endangering the judiciary’s role in American democracy. Drawing on …
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% reduction in staffing across dozens of courts. The mass vacancies have intensified an already severe backlog of over 4 million …
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 Parliament funds. Le Pen, head of the National Rally party, was convicted for orchestrating fake job contracts to funnel EU …