Published by the Bolch Judicial Institute of Duke Law

September 2026 • Judicature International

Dear Reader,

Judges’ ability to decide cases independently is fundamental to the rule of law. That independence depends not only on legal guarantees, but also on judges being able to carry out their responsibilities without intimidation or fear for their personal safety and that of their families.

This edition of Judicature International features a recent Bloomberg Law commentary by Kimberly J. Mueller, director of the Bolch Judicial Institute and a former U.S. district judge, examining two new reports based on interviews with federal judges in the United States — one from the Berkeley Judicial Institute and Rule of Law Lab at NYU Law, the other from the Brennan Center for Justice. Although the reports were prepared independently, both point to the need to consider judicial security as an institutional concern, not simply a matter of courthouse protection.

Threats against judges are a serious concern for jurisdictions worldwide. The questions raised by these contributions are therefore broadly relevant: How should courts and other institutions respond? What responsibilities do political leaders, lawyers and law-enforcement agencies bear? And how can public confidence in an independent judiciary be maintained?

We hope this collection will contribute to that discussion. We also welcome perspectives from judges and courts around the world on the measures being taken and the further steps needed to protect judicial independence.

— David Collins
Chair of the Judicature International Editorial Board
Acting Judge on the Court of Appeal of New Zealand

SEPTEMBER 2026 | FEATURED

Threats Against Judges Endanger Their Independence on the Bench

Kim Mueller argues that criticism of
judicial decisions is legitimate;
threats and intimidation are not.

In a recent Bloomberg Law opinion piece, Bolch Judicial Institute Director Kim Mueller draws on nearly 23 years as a federal judge to examine the threat environment facing the federal bench, drawing on the two reports featured in this issue’s research brief below.

Mueller writes that responsibility for addressing the problem is shared, not confined to any one institution; Congress, political leaders, the legal profession, and law enforcement all have a role, she argues. She frames the reports’ convergence as a call to act, not simply another data point.

Read the full piece on Bloomberg Law's website »

More About the Reports

"Threats to the Independence of the Federal Judiciary," from the Berkeley Judicial Institute and the Rule of Law Lab at NYU Law, draws on interviews with 34 sitting federal judges and organizes its findings around four categories of threat: violence, intimidation, disinformation, and defiance of court orders. Judges described a pattern of coordinated online harassment — including deliveries sent to their homes as a signal that their addresses were known — with little confidence that federal or local authorities could identify or stop those responsible.

"Protecting Judges from Rising Threats," from the Brennan Center for Justice, draws on interviews with 35 sitting and retired federal judges and focuses more heavily on the adequacy of existing security infrastructure. A majority of judges interviewed said housing the U.S. Marshals Service within the Department of Justice leaves judicial security exposed to executive branch pressure.

Global Judicial News:
September 2026

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