Extract from Isha Marathe’s article “Judges Say Social Media and Political Polarization Puts Them in Danger”
Whether in state or federal court, in a custody battle, or an election interference trial, when a judge makes a decision, one side is happier than the other.
Traditionally, the less happy side might have filed an appeal, or a critical onlooker might have penned an op-ed about their feelings in a local paper, or a very passionate one might write an angry letter sent as snail mail.
But those were simpler days, said a group of judges at the 11th annual Judicial Panel at Relativity Fest 2024, moderated by Relativity discovery counsel and legal education director David Horrigan. Of the five judges on the panel, four are currently serving in federal or state courts in the U.S., and one is a retired judge from Wales.
The opinions and quotes in this article are taken from this event and conversations with Legaltech News immediately after.
Social Media and Threats
As social media has cemented itself in the fabric of how the country communicates, judges have noticed a marked spike in the negative feedback they are receiving. The comments may range from a disgruntled X (formerly Twitter) user who blames a judge for a certain opinion to legitimate death threats from an organized group that has tracked down a judge’s home address and posted it on its Instagram page for thousands to see.
