President’s Perspective

February 18, 2026

In Appreciation of Our Judges

Looking back over the years, certain days stand out as among the best of times. Many involve marriage, births, and other family events. But, for me, also on the list is the day I was first sworn into the bar. In my case, that first state bar was Louisiana. And I remember being proud to take the oath as an officer of the court administered by justices from the Louisiana Supreme Court. The feeling never gets old, and I felt equally fortunate to be sworn into the bars of the District of Columbia and North Carolina.

A common theme in those professional events was a commitment to the profession and to the independent and impartial functioning of the judicial system. Central to that theme is a deep respect for judges at every level of the judicial system and for their staff. All of us, as practicing lawyers, are well aware of the many ways that respect and appreciation is shown: standing when judges enter and exit the courtroom and whenever addressing the court; answering questions honestly and directly; accepting rulings, including those that go against us, gracefully — even if they are to be appealed; treating court staff with courtesy and respect; and so on.

Unfortunately, at times, more is required of members of the bar in support of the judiciary. Speaking of the federal courts and quoting the late Chief Justice William Rehnquist, Chief Justice John Roberts observed in his 2024 Year End Report on the Judiciary (“2024 Report”),[1] “[t]he independent federal judiciary . . . remains . . . one of the ‘crown jewels of our system of government.’”[2] While acknowledging the benefits of “informed criticism” of judicial decisions,[3] Chief Justice Roberts continued:

Unfortunately, not all actors engage in “informed criticism” or anything remotely resembling it. I feel compelled to address four areas of illegitimate activity that, in my view, do threaten the independence of judges on which the rule of law depends: (1) violence, (2) intimidation, (3) disinformation, and (4) threats to defy lawfully entered judgments.[4]

Examples of these woes can be stark. Writing at the end of 2024, Chief Justice Roberts observed that, between 1979 and 1989, three federal judges were killed for simply doing their jobs. In 2005 and in 2020, close relatives of federal judges were murdered by assailants seeking retaliation against the judges who handled their cases. In 2022 and 2023, state court judges in Wisconsin and Maryland were killed at their homes for the same reason.[5]

The examples are devastating and strike at the core of a functioning judicial system. In 2020, an assailant intent on murdering Maryland United States District Judge Esther Salas after appearing in her court, killed Judge Salas’s son, as he tried to protect the judge and her husband.[6]

In 2022, a man previously sentenced to prison by then-retired state superior court judge John Roemer murdered the judge at his home.[7] The following year, Maryland state circuit court judge Andrew Wilkinson was shot and killed in the driveway of his home after awarding custody to the murderer’s estranged wife.[8] Most recently, in January of this year, Indiana state court judge Steven Meyer and his wife were shot and injured, according to prosecutors, in an attempt to derail a domestic abuse trial involving one of the assailants.[9]

While violence perpetrated upon judges based on their doing the jobs they were sworn to do are heartbreaking, as Chief Justice Roberts observed, other responses to judges’ work also threaten the court system. The Chief Justice wrote that “attempts to intimidate need not physically harm judges to threaten judicial independence.”[10] In our digital era, intimidation can include raging on the Internet and encouraging readers to send messages to judges.[11] Intimidation may also include “doxing” — obtaining and releasing of judges’ addresses and phone numbers.[12] Chief Justice Roberts also bemoaned disinformation, including the use of social media to “instantly spread rumor and false information” about judicial decisions.[13] As the Chief Justice acknowledged, the judiciary is “particularly ill-suited to combat” disinformation: judges don’t “call press conferences or generally issue rebuttals.”[14] And, finally, Chief Justice Roberts warned of defiance of “judgments lawfully entered by courts of competent jurisdiction.”[15]

Our Rules of Professional Conduct impose obligations on us as lawyers to support the judiciary and defend the judicial system. The Preamble to North Carolina’s Revised Rules of Professional Conduct (“N.C. Rules”) implores lawyers to “further the public’s understanding of and confidence in the rule of law and the justice system because legal institutions in a constitutional democracy depend on popular participation and support to maintain their authority.”[16] Our Rules of Professional Conduct also mandate that lawyers be candid with the court[17] and not detract from the impartiality and decorum of the judiciary,[18] and prohibit lawyers from making false statements regarding the qualifications or integrity of judges.[19]

But more is needed from us in supporting judicial officers and their staff. As Judge Salas observed, “Judges need to be able to do their job without fear of retribution, retaliation, or death.”[20] As Chief Justice Robert wrote, “Judges cannot hide, nor should they,”[21] and “violence, intimidation, and defiance directed at judges because of their work undermine our republic, and are wholly unacceptable.”[22]

I encourage us all, as members of the profession, to continue to support our judges. Educate the public about how the judicial system functions. Celebrate the benefits of an independent judiciary. Support legislative efforts to protect members of the judiciary. Explain — and demonstrate — the importance of respect for the judicial system, even in the face of decisions with which we disagree. And express appreciation for our judges and their staff.

Rob Harrington serves as president of the North Carolina Bar Association and the North Carolina Bar Foundation.

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[1] 2024 Year End Report on the Judiciary.

[2] 2024 Report, p. 3 of 15.

[3] Id., p. 5 of 15 (citation omitted).

[4] Id. (emphasis omitted).

[5] Id.

[6] In Daniel’s Name, Judicature, Vol. 107, No. 2, at p. 2,5/12 (2023).

[7] Former judge is killed at his home; suspect, a former defendant, said to have other targets, ABA Journal, June 6, 2022, p. 1 of 4.

[8] Maryland judge killed in his driveway, authorities search for suspect who ‘targeted’ him over divorce case ruling, NBCNews.com, Oct. 20, 2023, p. 1-2 of 8.

[9] Motorcycle gang members accused of targeting Indiana judge for assassination when the shot him, his wife, CBSnews.com, Jan. 27, 2026, p. 1-2 of 6.

[10] 2024 Report, p. 6 of 15.