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

Throughout its history, the American College of Trial Lawyers (“ACTL”) has stressed the importance to American democracy of an independent judiciary and in several white papers and statements has condemned the growing number of threats and invective made against judges. The ACTL’s statements have underscored that any effort to diminish the independence of the decision-making process undermines a vital element of our judicial system. Regrettably, threats to judicial independence have reached a new level with calls for impeachment of judges based on disagreements with their decisions.