Justice Kagan Says Threats Against Supreme Court Judges Have Come "Very Close"

What’s the Big News?

Imagine the most important judges in the country—the Supreme Court Justices. Recently, Justice Elena Kagan (one of those top judges) spoke to a group of lawmakers in Congress who control the government’s money. She was there to defend the court’s request for money for the year 2027.

During her opening speech, she shared a scary fact: threats (which means people saying they want to hurt someone) against these judges have come "very close" to actually reaching them.

Important Point: Kagan said, "For some of us, those threats have come very close, and all of us live with the knowledge that they may again materialize." This means some judges have almost been hurt, and everyone is aware it could happen again.

Why Do the Judges Need More Money?

The Supreme Court is asking Congress for a bit more cash to keep things running. Here is the simple breakdown:

• They want an extra $14 million for paying staff and covering costs. That is a 7% increase from before.
• Almost all of the recent extra money they have gotten is because they need more security (like guards and safe systems).
• Aside from a normal small bump because things get more expensive over time (called inflation), the extra money is only for safety.
• The police who guard the court say they expect a smaller but still substantial 38% annual increase in threats this year. This comes after a 25% increase last year.

How Has Security Changed Over Time?

Justice Kagan joined the court in 2010. Back then, things were very different. Let’s look at the timeline of how security grew:

1. 2010 (When Kagan started): The court police mostly just watched the building. Judges did not have personal bodyguards following them around.
2. 2017: The court started seriously growing its security team. They did this because members of Congress asked them to.
3. Today: Security looks completely different. They added lots of new protections because of a few big reasons:
   • The Dobbs leak (when a secret paper about a big court decision got out early).
   • Online attacks (mean and dangerous stuff on the internet).
   • Physical security holes (weak spots where someone could break in or hurt someone).

Because of these dangers, they have added:

• Security at the judges’ homes (residential security)
• Better checking for dangers (threat assessments)
• Protection for their computers and internet (cybersecurity)
• More police officers (officer staffing)

Kagan said they try to "expand incrementally but effectively to meet evolving security challenges"—which basically means they add safety step-by-step but in smart ways to fight new dangers.

What the Judges Will (and Won’t) Talk About

Even with all these scary threats, Kagan says the judges are still doing their jobs fairly.

Important Point: "All members of the Court continue to do their jobs as they believe legally right, adjudicating cases without fear or favor." This means they make their decisions based on the law, without being scared and without playing favorites.

Kagan also had a rule for the lawmakers: Please only ask about the money/budget! She and Justice Barrett said they are happy to answer budget questions, but they cannot talk about court decisions that already happened or are coming up. They must stay focused on the budget request.

Summary

To sum it all up:

• Supreme Court Justice Kagan told Congress that threats against judges have come dangerously close.
• The court police predict more threats this year (a 38% increase after last year’s 25%).
• The court wants an extra $14 million (7% more) mostly for security.
• Security has grown a lot since 2010, especially after 2017 and due to leaks and online attacks.
• Judges promise to keep doing their fair work, but they will only discuss budget, not specific cases.

FAQ

1. What is the "Dobbs leak" mentioned in the article?
The Dobbs leak was when a private, secret paper about a major Supreme Court decision was shared with the public before it was supposed to be. This made the court feel less safe and pushed them to add more security.

2. Why can’t Justice Kagan talk about recent court decisions?
Judges have a rule that they shouldn’t comment on cases they have already decided or ones that are still waiting to be decided. This keeps the court fair. She told lawmakers to only ask about the budget request.

3. What does "without fear or favor" mean?
It means the judges are making their legal decisions without being scared of threats and without giving special treatment to any side. They are just following the law.

4. Who are the "House appropriators"?
These are the people in the U.S. House of Representatives (a part of Congress) whose job is to decide how the government’s money is spent. Kagan spoke to them to ask for the court’s budget.

5. Why does the Supreme Court need more money if it’s just a 7% increase?
Even though 7% sounds small, the court says almost all of their recent extra money goes to safety. Threats are going up, so they need more guards, better computer safety, and home security for the judges.