In a deeply reported Washington Post feature published November 28, 2025, retired federal and state judges warn that sustained attacks on the judiciary are weakening the foundations of American democracy and placing unprecedented strain on the rule of law. Drawing on interviews with more than a dozen former jurists, Washington Post reporter Brianna Tucker describes growing concerns over partisan rhetoric, threats against judges, the erosion of judicial independence, and declining respect for court rulings.
Among the article’s contributors is Paul W. Grimm, director of the Bolch Judicial Institute, who underscored the judiciary’s essential role as a guardian of fundamental rights. Grimm cautioned that efforts to intimidate judges and undermine public confidence in the courts threaten the system’s ability to protect individual liberties and maintain constitutional balance.
“There’s not a person in our country that, whether they think about it or not, does not depend upon the ability of these fundamental rights and liberties to be protected in an action in court if there is someone who violates that,” said Grimm.
The article situates these warnings within broader trends — including increased use of the Supreme Court’s emergency docket, rising threats against judges, and historical examples of democratic backsliding abroad — raising urgent questions about the future of judicial authority and the rule of law in the United States.
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