Judge: Lawyers can help protect judicial independence

By American Bar Association

Judges and lawyers should not be punished “for simply doing their job,” Delissa Ridgway, a judge with the U.S. Court of International Trade in New York, said during a recent American Bar Association webinar.

Ridgway outlined how the judiciary is facing “unprecedented challenges” in the webinar, “Applying Learnings from the Past to Protect the Rule of Law in the USA,” which is part of the Rule of Law in America CLE series.

 “The federal judiciary is in the throes of an all-out siege on judicial independence that’s truly unprecedented,” she said. “Its scope, scale and speed have been absolutely breathtaking.”

She added that for the judicial branch to fulfill its role as a check on the other branches of government, judges must be able to do their job without threats to their safety or their employment.

Ridgway said judges have been targeted for impeachment based on rulings and that online threats against judges and their families have escalated. She noted that the United States has been designated as the “focus country” for the 2026 International Day of the Endangered Lawyer. The purpose is to draw attention to the plight of the justice system and the risk of the rule of law in the designated country of focus.

Ridgway said it is a designation of “great shame,” but it is important for all lawyers to observe it and make people aware of it.  The day will be observed worldwide on Jan. 26, 2026.

She encouraged lawyers to organize programs on that day and suggested these measures to safeguard the rule of law: 

• Read and share ABA statements defending democracy and the rule of law.

• Find out how to assist local judges.

• Mobilize bar associations and other civic organizations.

• Write op-eds or letters to the editor.

• Write to congressional representatives to seek additional funding to help secure judicial safety.

Regina M. Paulose, co-chair of the ABA International Law Section International Criminal Law Committee and an attorney who focuses on international criminal law, human rights and environmental crimes, moderated the discussion. 

The free webinar is available to ABA members on-demand at the American Bar Association Learning Center at https://learningcenter.americanbar.org.

(https://www.americanbar.org/news/abanews/aba-news-archives/2025/09/how-lawyers-can-protect-judicial-independence/)