We believe every judge must have confidence in their personal security, and the safety of their families, as they work to deliver equal justice under the law. But new threats have emerged over the past decade that must be acknowledged, and addressed.
Ron Zayas, CEO of 360Civic and its IronWall360 privacy protection service, has written an article on this vital issue that has been published in the current edition of Court Review magazine.
What You’ll Learn
The article, "Securing the Integrity of Our Judicial System: Protecting Judges Beyond the Courthouse" provides a detailed account of how threats against judges have evolved and increased, the types of threat vectors and how they can be reduced, the status of current and pending privacy statutes, and what solutions are available to enhance a judge’s personal security.
About the Court Review
Court Review is the official publication of the American Judges Association, the largest independent, judge only, member driven organization in North America. It reaches more than 2,000 judges from the United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, and the Virgin Islands.
While we are proud to have this piece published in such a prestigious judicial journal, what is more important is the opportunity it presents to let AJA members know that help is available for those facing threats, and those concerned about heightened hostility against judicial institutions, fueled by controversial social issues and our deeply divided electorate.
An Ongoing Problem
As we’ve said before, every judge is one decision away from being the target of a personal threat, or having their name shared instantly to millions of social media accounts (and when that happens, it is rarely shared in a positive light). No one expects a lowering of the national temperature on heated topics anytime soon. And even if we should be fortunate enough to find our way back to a more measured temperament, there will never be a time when judges won’t be required to send defendants to prison – and risk the wrath of their families and friends. Retribution in such cases used to be extremely rare; now, with the wealth of personal information available about all of us online, it has never been easier for a motivated individual to lash out.
As Ron writes in the piece, “Between changing laws and more allocation of dollars for non-traditional threats, there is more help available (to judges) today than there has been in over two decades.” But it is up to courts and individual judges to avail themselves of this protection.
