Litigation

Harassment and Threats Against Judges Rising

By Bert Brandenburg

The United States Marshals Service has released data showing a steady increase in threats, harassment and other inappropriate communications with judges. According to the National Law Journal, in just five years the number has risen 89 percent.

Federal law sanctions threats against judges, along with the intentional release of personal information with the intent to threaten, intimidate, or incite a violent crime against a judge.

In addition to monitoring outright threats, the Marshals Service tracks inappropriate communications that ?harass, show an unusual direction of interest, or make unsettling overtures of an improper nature directed to a protectee.? In a little over 1 percent of the cases, the threat or inappropriate communications was posted on a website or blog.

Full post as published by The Gavel on March 19, 2009 (boomark / email).