US Supreme Court Requests Funding to Enhance Security Measures for Justices and Their Homes

The U.S. Supreme Court is seeking $19.4 million in federal funds to enhance security measures for the nine justices and to assign protection of their homes to its own police force instead of the U.S. Marshals Service. This decision is made in response to the “evolving” risks faced by the nation’s highest judicial body. The proposal is part of a $9.4 billion budget request for the fiscal year starting on October 1.

Within this budget, $5.8 million is allocated to expand the security activities of the Supreme Court Police, the court’s in-house security force. An additional $13.6 million is dedicated to transferring the responsibility of guarding the justices’ homes from the Marshals Service to the court’s police force.

The budget document states that these security-related expenditures account for the court’s desire to increase discretionary spending by 21% to $146.3 million in the 2025 fiscal year. The ongoing threat assessments indicate the need for continuous protection due to evolving risks.

Apart from the Supreme Court, the remaining federal judiciary seeks $805.9 million for court security, citing a significant rise in threats against federal judges. According to the U.S. Marshals Service, severe threats against federal judges increased from 224 in fiscal year 2021 to 457 in fiscal year 2023. A recent Reuters investigation highlighted an alarming increase in threats and intimidation against judges who ruled against former President Donald Trump’s interests in the cases they presided over.

Although Congress has not finalized funding for the current fiscal year, the judiciary has released its 2025 budget request. Last week, lawmakers passed the fourth stopgap measure to keep the government funded. Without legislation, funding for specific government sectors will run out on March 8 and for others, including the judiciary, on March 22.

In response to security threats, Congress approved legislation in 2022 to extend police protection to the families of justices and senior court officials. The decision was made following the leak of a draft ruling that overturned the Roe v. Wade decision, which legalized abortion nationwide. The draft and final ruling sparked protests outside the homes of justices belonging to the court’s conservative majority.

In a separate incident, a California man was charged in 2022 with attempting to assassinate Justice Brett Kavanaugh. The individual, Nicholas Roske, pleaded not guilty. Additionally, a Florida man pleaded guilty in December to threatening to kill Chief Justice John Roberts.

These developments signify the pressing need for increased security measures and resources for the U.S. Supreme Court and federal judiciary.

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