The president of the Supreme Court, Judge john roberts used its year-end annual report to address the spate of criticism, political attacks and threats of violence that swept through that court in 2022.
The United States Supreme Court dominated the country’s headlines and political discourse in 2022 until the last few days with its closely divided decision on Title 42 capping a truly historic year.
In 2023 the high court still has ahead more rulings that can transform current laws on race, immigration, gay rights and free speech, to name a few. The conservative majority of high court judges is expected to continue to influence currently recognized rights.
“Judicial opinions speak for themselves, and there is no obligation in our free country to agree with them,” Roberts wrote in his first lengthy comment since last summer’s decision to strike down roe v. Wade. But he pointed out that “a judicial system cannot and should not live in fear.”
Roberts alluded to protests outside judges’ houses and the assassination attempt on Judge Brett Kavanaugh, but did not directly cite controversies or specific cases from last year.
“The law requires that every judge be sworn in to perform their job without fear or favor, but we must support judges by ensuring their safety,” Roberts wrote.
Roberts thanked members of Congress and federal judge Esther Salas, whose son was murdered in her home in 2020, for advocating for enhanced security measures for federal judges, stating that “these programs and their funding are essential to operating a system of courts”.
In recent weeks, Congress has passed a law that increases security and privacy protections for federal judges and their families.
The law is named after Daniel Anderl, son of federal judge Esther Salas. The 20-year-old was shot to death in 2020 at his New Jersey home in what was purported to be an attack on the judge by a disgruntled ex-litigant who found the family’s address online.
But Roberts did not address legislative efforts to require greater transparency and ethics guidelines in court. He made no mention of the investigation into the leak of Judge Samuel Alito’s abortion bill in April, or the growing list of alleged ethics violations against Justices Clarence Thomas and Alito.
Source: La Opinion
