Retired judges tour Ohio and Pennsylvania to defend judicial independence

A group of retired federal and state judges completed a four-day bus tour through Ohio and Pennsylvania on Friday, ending at a library in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. The judges spoke in courthouses, coffee shops, and public squares to promote judicial independence and public confidence in courts.

The tour began Tuesday in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, moved to Washington, Pennsylvania, then to Columbus and Wooster, Ohio, on Wednesday, and Cleveland on Thursday before heading north. Judges stopped at restaurants and local businesses along the route and addressed audiences about the role of courts.

Tour organizers and participants The Democracy Rising Collaborative and Keep Our Republic organized the tour, called "Justice in Motion." Roughly 30 judges participated, including two former federal judges, one current federal judge, and several state judges from both parties. Former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett and former Ohio attorneys general also joined some events.

Background and stated concerns The judges cited recent declines in public confidence in courts and increased polarization. One former Ohio Supreme Court justice said the country faces a choice about whether to remain a nation of laws. Another former federal judge described an "existential threat" from a breakdown of norms.

The U.S. Marshals Service reported 564 threats against federal judges in the fiscal year ending in September, up from 509 the prior year. Organizers said the tour was modeled on a 2021 effort by Polish judges to defend judicial institutions. "The lifeblood of the judiciary is public confidence," a former Ohio Supreme Court justice said.