In general, the legal and lay communities treat our judges1 with respect. There are also many benefits to donning the robe, sitting on the bench, and serving the community. However, a disturbing trend has emerged. Threats and violence against the judiciary are increasing at an unprecedented rate. It’s reported that the U.S. Marshals Service investigated 564 threats against federal judges in 2025, more than three times the number reported in 2019.
And neither the United States Supreme Court nor our local judiciary are immune. Chief Justice Roberts recently spoke about the dangers of personal attacks aimed at our judiciary, likely prompted by publicized threats against his fellow justices and their families. While Austin is generally a tolerant place, our judiciary has also experienced the dangers highlighted by Chief Justice Roberts in a tangible way. Years ago, a member of our judiciary was attacked in her car after returning home with her son.
Even without the threat of violence, however, our judges’ jobs are already inherently difficult. As a law student and as a law clerk, I witnessed the incredible workload that our judges manage. The nature of our political system and funding decisions tend to leave our courts understaffed and benches unfilled. At the same time, the courts face a rise in litigation, although this is not the most challenging aspect. Frequently, judges must preside over emotionally charged cases whose outcomes have meaningful effects on the parties’ lives. They have to make the best decisions based on the available information. But sometimes, hindsight reveals that judges made the wrong decisions. And the unintended consequences of those decisions can be tough to live with. I’ve never envied a judge that must make a custody decision, especially when that decision leads to a tragic outcome. That is a burden that can be unbearable.
If these challenges were not enough, the modern era has made the job more difficult. The news cycle has become an insatiable beast that seeks attention more than providing understanding, although it pales when compared to social media. Nowadays, judicial decisions are discussed with less regard for the facts or the law and more for quickly formed opinions. Additionally, political tensions have made the public more distrustful and quicker to anger. And the dissemination of fake news has helped shape perception. The result is an increasing lack of respect for judges and the judiciary.
Attacks on the judiciary, however, are attacks on our form of government. While the judiciary has no place for corruption, bias, or incompetence, we must support our judges to help maintain our democracy. The judiciary is the third branch of government that typically garners less headlines than the legislative and executive branches. But it may be the most important. Judges help safeguard our rights when others seek to curtail them. When we casually criticize our judges without legitimacy, we are unknowingly helping erode one of the pillars of our democratic government.
So, next time a ruling doesn’t go our way, let’s remember the challenges that our judiciary faces. Or if we don’t agree with a decision discussed in the media, let’s take a deeper look into the facts and the issues. Also, let’s remember that judges are people and that they have families who love them. Let’s let them do their jobs without having to worry about their safety or the safety of those around them.
ENDNOTES
1 I spend more time practicing in front of justices on the various appellate benches. But for simplicity’s sake, I will refer to judges and justices as “judges” throughout this column.