Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) joined Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Chris Coons (D-DE) in introducing the Countering Threats and Attacks on Our Judges Act, which would establish a State Judicial Threat Intelligence and Resource Center to provide technical assistance, training, and threat monitoring for state and local judges and court personnel.
“It’s a sad reality that threats meant to intimidate judges and court personnel have increased significantly in recent years,” said Whitehouse, a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. “Our bipartisan bill to improve security at courthouses and judges’ homes will protect court officials from violence and harassment and help safeguard the integrity of the judicial system.”
The Countering Threats and Attacks on Our Judges Act would create a State Judicial Threat Intelligence and Resource Center to:
- Provide technical assistance to state and local judges and court personnel around judicial security;
- Provide physical security assessments for courts, homes, and other facilities where judicial officers and staff conduct court-related business;
- Conduct research to identify, examine, and advance best practices around judicial security;
- And be housed within the existing State Justice Institute, a private nonprofit and nonpartisan corporation established by Congress in 1984.
The legislation is supported by the Conference of Chief Justices (CCJ), Conference of State Court Administrators (COSCA), Council of Chief Judges of the State Courts of Appeal (CCJSCA), All Rise, National Association for Presiding Judges and Court Executive Officers (NAPCO), National Association for Court Management (NACM), American Judges Association (AJA), National Center for State Courts (NCSC), and the National District Attorneys Association (NDAA).
