The “Civility” Problem for Judges

The “Civility” Problem for Judges

From Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts by Slate Podcasts

May 9, 2026 · 1h 2m

About this episode

Judges discuss the increasing threats against the judiciary and the implications for judicial independence.

Over the last few years, there’s been an undeniable uptick in threats against American judges and their families: they’ve been doxxed, swatted, even killed. Many jurists are not all that comfortable having conversations around these threats. This reluctance to respond publicly is understandable, but it’s also depriving us of a critical perspective from the very people this affects. This week on Amicus, that changes: Two judges sat down with us to talk openly about what often goes unsaid. Host Dahlia Lithwick speaks with sitting U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Washington Judge Robert S. Lasnik, and Judge Jeremy Fogel, a former U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of California and current Executive Director of the Berkeley Judicial Institute. They acknowledge that there’s a long history of judges being threatened, but point out that it’s usually not coming from the President and his Department of Justice. We’re in uncharted territory, and Judges Lasnik and Fogel are bravely opening up about what this volatility means for an independent judiciary, and what we should do about it.  Want more Amicus? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes with…

People in this episode

Host: Dahlia Lithwick

Guests: Robert S. Lasnik, Jeremy Fogel

Topics covered

  • judicial threats
  • judicial independence
  • civility in courts
  • public discourse
  • judicial safety

Keywords

  • judges
  • threats
  • civility
  • independent judiciary
  • public safety

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Berkeley Judicial Institute, Department of Justice

Places: Western District of Washington, Northern District of California

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