State Chief Justice Michael Boggs sounded the alarm this morning, warning about growing dangers to judges, court personnel, and public trust in Georgia’s judiciary.
“It seems that our entire system of justice, a bedrock of our democracy, is under attack. These threats take many forms, from threats posed by disinformation and actual violence to threats posed by citizens and even elected officials publicly stating their intention to not honor and abide by lawful court decisions,” Boggs said.
🔥 What’s Happening: Georgia judges are facing unprecedented threats, both physical and ideological. Boggs noted a troubling rise in targeted attacks and the role of misinformation in undermining the judiciary. According to federal data, threats against federal judges have tripled since 2019, jumping from 179 credible threats in 2019 to 457 in 2023. While no formal tracking exists for state judges in Georgia, anecdotal evidence points to a sharp increase in threats, including bomb scares like the one that recently evacuated Muscogee County’s courthouse.
⚠️ Why It Matters: Judges play a crucial role in upholding democracy and the rule of law. During his state of the judiciary address, Boggs stressed that threats to the judiciary strike at the core of a fair and independent justice system. He expressed concern over efforts to politicize the courts and warned against transforming them into partisan institutions. This, he argued, could erode public trust in the judiciary’s integrity.
“Equally as concerning as the attacks and threats of physical violence on our judges are the purposeful and widespread efforts to transform the courts into partisan political actors. It is hard to overstate the danger such efforts pose to the rule of law if left unchecked,” Boggs said. “The rule of law is the simple but powerful idea that all of us, even judges, are bound by the laws that we the people have enacted through our elected representatives. This simple idea is the bedrock of our entire democratic structure, and it cannot work without an independent judiciary that has the public’s trust and confidence.”
🔍 Why This Should Catch Your Attention: Threats to judges aren’t just statistics—they represent a growing trend of societal division and hostility toward institutions meant to remain impartial. The Chief Justice called on Georgians to support ongoing security measures and legislative efforts to keep the courts neutral, secure, and effective.
“Our State’s courts are made up of impartial arbiters of the law who have taken sacred oaths to uphold the Constitution and defend the rule of law. And our limited role as judges is to interpret the law as it is written and apply it to resolve the disputes of the parties before us, not to serve as a
super legislature,” Boggs reminded Georgians.
📌 Take Action: State lawmakers are considering two house bills which aim to improve compensation for superior and statewide judges—a step Boggs says is critical for attracting and retaining talented judges. Citizens can stay informed and support policies that strengthen judicial safety and fairness.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
