Violence towards judges and other court personnel has increased rapidly in recent years. In 2023 alone, the US Marshals investigated 457 threats against federal judges, compared to 224 in 2021. This is a 100% increase!
In recent news, Circuit Court Judge Andrew Wilkinson of Maryland was shot and killed in his driveway by a man whom he ruled against in a divorce case. A sheriff shot and killed Kentucky District Judge Kevin Mullins in his chambers. And Federal District of New Jersey Judge Esther Salas’ son was shot and killed in a targeted attack at her home.
These are not mere stories. These anecdotes exhibit the tragic reality of many judges who have been attacked for simply upholding the rule of law. The assaults don’t stop at our jurists; threats to prosecutors and other court staff have also increased at an alarming rate.
In response to the growing violence amongst court personnel, High Point University School of Law participated in the Thompson Reuters Judicial Advisory Committee’s panel on judicial security. Before introducing the panel, former Chief Justice Mark Martin, High Point Law’s Founding Dean and Professor of Law, set out the goal of the program:
The purpose of today’s panel is to better understand these threats and provide judicial personnel with tools to help protect themselves.
Sharing remarks first, Texas District Court Judge Julie Kocurek recounted how she survived a horrific ambush outside of her home in Austin, Texas. Judge Kocurek leveraged her harrowing encounter for good by testifying before the United States Senate in support of Senate Bill 3984—the “Countering Threats and Attacks on our Judges Act.” The Senate unanimously passed the Act and it is now pending in the House.
After her remarks, former Chief Justice Martin offered, “Thank you Judge Kocurek for your willingness to speak to us about such a terrifying moment. Your bravery inspires all of us. Many judges are safer today because of your important advocacy.”
Chief Judge Laura Beyer of the United States Bankruptcy Court in Western District of North Carolina then shared about her service on the United States Judicial Conference Committee on Judicial Security and discussed recent updates at the federal level.
Finally, Chris Swecker, a former FBI Assistant Director who now serves as a security consultant and frequent commentator on major media outlets such as CNN, CNBC, and Fox News, shared security tips for the audience. Security ideas discussed included purchasing a home security system, owning a dog, notifying local law enforcement of one’s residence, pepper spray and firearms training, eliminating “hiding spots” in one’s lawn, and reducing the dissemination of personally identifiable information (PII) online.
In all, the panel successfully shed light on the emerging need for judicial security and discussed several measures that can be taken to avoid violence in the future. Dean Martin, encouraged by the program, shared the following afterward:
I’ve participated in many excellent programs over years, but this one might have been the most important. If just one judicial employee avoids or deters a targeted attack because of what was shared today, then this program quite literally saved a life.