By Manny Marotta, FTC law clerk

Speak Up For Justice, a group founded earlier this year by L.A.-based attorney Paul Kiesel that convenes periodic meetings of judges to address judicial safety, convened a panel yesterday to discuss recent threats against judges and how lawmakers and the bar can respond.

Panelists included Sen. Chris Coons, D. N.J. Judge Esther Salas, Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Monica Márquez, Florida Judicial Circuit Judge Jennifer Johnson; Miami-Dade County Judge Carroll Kelly, and Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Audra Ibarra (at right). Kiesel served as moderator.

Sen. Coons opened the discussion by highlighting recent congressional efforts to strengthen judicial security through a bipartisan bill he is co-leading, the Countering Threats and Attacks on Our Judges Act. If enacted, it would establish a judicial threat and intelligence resource center inside the congressionally created State Justice Institute to enhance protections for state judges.

Coons said he expects President Trump to sign the measure into law assuming it passes the House and Senate.

The judges then described credible threats they have faced, including death threats made over social media, instances of physical stalking and cyberstalking and floods of phone calls laced with hateful and violent language.

While earlier Speak Up For Justice sessions had focused primarily on federal judges, this discussion highlighted the urgent need to extend protections to state judges, who do not benefit from U.S. Marshals Service protection.

The seminar concluded by encouraging members of the legal community to engage more actively with issues surrounding threats to judicial security and to support stronger measures to safeguard judges nationwide.

We expect that Speak Up For Justice will continue to hold these important and eye-opening events focused on judicial security.