Attorney General Jeff Jackson Leads Bipartisan Group Calling for Increased Security for Supreme Court Justices

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, October 2, 2026
Contact: comms@ncdoj.gov
919-538-2809

RALEIGH – Attorney General Jeff Jackson is leading a bipartisan coalition of 45 attorneys general urging Congress to fully fund the U.S. Supreme Court’s Fiscal Year 2027 security request to help protect Supreme Court justices. Threats against the justices have escalated in volume, risk, and credibility to a level not seen in decades. The coalition is calling for the resources necessary to protect the justices, their families, and the Supreme Court as an institution.

“The judicial branch is a bedrock of our system of government, and it can only be successful if judges and justices feel free to rule based on their expertise and the law – not because they fear for their safety,” said Attorney General Jeff Jackson. “This is a bipartisan coalition because we all know how important it is that we keep political violence at bay and protect the rule of law. Congress needs to acknowledge the justices’ request and provide this funding to keep them, their families, and their staffs safe.”

According to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, “security incidents of significant concern” for judges spiked by 57 percent in FY 2025. Recent incidents have highlighted the need for additional protection. In 2022, a gunman armed with a Glock, a knife, and zip ties attempted to assassinate Justice Brett Kavanaugh at his home. In 2020, an assassin murdered Daniel Anderl, the son of New Jersey Federal District Judge Esther Salas, while attempting to kill his mother. That assassin had also developed a dossier on Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

Hostile threats and messages directed at judges have more than tripled over the last ten years. Over 100 federal judges have been “doxxed” with unsolicited deliveries at their homes, and Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s home was recently swatted. These incidents and the trends they follow underscore the need for additional safety measures.

The Supreme Court’s FY 2027 request includes $14.6 million to expand personal protection for justices as well as additional personnel to strengthen security at the Supreme Court building. It also includes $2 million for an off-site command post to coordinate residential protection for the justices.

The coalition acknowledged that Congress has difficult choices to make about the allocation of funding. However, they also stressed the important role that the judicial system plays in the security and stability of our entire system of government, and the necessity of investing in its members’ safety.

Attorney General Jackson signed the letter along with the attorneys general of Connecticut, Missouri, New Jersey, Tennessee, Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

A copy of the letter is available here.

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