Mandate: To monitor developments related to the importance of an independent judiciary; to coordinate, publicize and track the College’s timely response to threats to the judiciary or attacks on judges; to promote the College’s support of fair and impartial courts at the state, province and federal level; and to recommend initiatives, as appropriate, to engage the College and Fellows in educating the public regarding the judiciary’s role in protecting the rule of law.

Read the College’s statements related to judicial independence.

Committee Members

Mark Holscher

Member

David R. Johnson

Member

Roberto Martinez

Member

A. Howard Matz

Member

Martha McCarthy

Member

Hon. Carolyn S. Ostby

Member

William W. Taylor III

Member

Kent E. Thomson

Member

Kathleen M. Trafford

Member

T. John Ward

Member

Committee Resources

Related Resources
Threats to Impeach Judges for Judicial Decisions Undermine the Rule of Law

Any effort to diminish the independence of the decision-making process undermines a vital element of our judicial system.

Learn More
Recommendations for a Senate Special Committee on Judicial Nominations

A leading responsibility of the American College of Trial Lawyers is to educate the public on the judiciary’s role in protecting the rule of law. The Fellows of the Judicial Independence Committee have concluded that a significant element in this education is to restore confidence in the confirmation of Justices for the Supreme Court. Having evaluated reforms needed to restore confidence in this process, the committee recommends eleven measures to guide the Senate in securing needed reform.

Learn More
The Need to Promote and Defend Fair and Impartial Courts

In this report, a sequel to Judicial Independence: A Cornerstone of Democracy Which Must Be Defended, the College looks back at the past decade to evaluate the collective efforts of the College and others in our profession to meet the goals the 2006 Report set out.

Learn More
Judicial Independence: A Cornerstone of Democracy Which Must Be Defended

Any perceived threat to judicial independence should summon the legal profession to action. Lawyers must constantly remind themselves that judicial independence is critical to a free society and must educate others who may have lost sight of that. Lawyers must recognize genuine threats to judicial independence and, when they arise, call attention to them and confront them.

Learn More