“The time to increase judicial security is now.”
This call to action rang throughout newspapers in North Carolina, Missouri, and even as far away as California, in a recent article written by former Chief Justice Mark Martin, High Point Law’s Founding Dean and Professor of Law.
Alongside coauthor former Chief Judge Julian Mann—the longest serving judge for the North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings and now member of High Point Law’s extended faculty—the two jurists advocated for increasing resources to protect judges and court personnel.
Threats to judges and judicial employees have been steadily on the rise—and even doubled in the last year. It’s not uncommon to turn on the news and witness a gut-wrenching story of a judge who was a victim of a targeted attack.
“Violence begets violence,” the article notes, “And if adequate measures are not taken to stem the violence against judges and court personnel, it will certainly diminish the rule of law in America.”
To combat this problem, former Chief Justice Martin and Chief Judge Mann highlight legislative solutions at both the federal and state levels. U.S. Senate Bill 3984, the Countering Threats and Attacks on our Judges Act, is waiting for approval in the U.S. House.
On the state front, recent bills have advanced in Georgia, Florida, Virginia, and Maryland. Though there is currently no bill at the forefront in North Carolina, the judges are hopeful that judicial security will soon be a North Carolina legislative priority. The authors encourage constituents to make their support known to their representatives at all levels.
“Let’s come together and protect our court personnel before tragedy strikes again,” said Martin and Mann, “If just one targeted attack on a judicial employee is avoided, it will be worth the effort.”
When asked for further comment on the importance of judicial security, Dean Martin said:
It’s fundamental to the rule of law that judges and court staff can safely come to work, do their jobs, and then go home to their families. Swift and decisive action should be taken to protect court personnel and combat this rise in violence.