Latest news with #AdministrativeOfficeoftheU.S.Courts
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US judges warn of threats, ask Congress for more security funding
By Nate Raymond (Reuters) - Key members of the U.S. federal judiciary asked lawmakers to increase security funding on Wednesday, as the court system grapples with a rising number of threats against judges who have blocked parts of the Trump administration's agenda. U.S. Circuit Judge Amy St. Eve told a U.S. House of Representatives panel that increasing security spending to $892 million, up 19% from the current fiscal year, would enable the court system to respond to rising threats directed at judges and to ensure their safety and that of their families. Tensions are high between the administration of Republican President Donald Trump and the judiciary, whose members have been targeted by a barrage of threats after blocking parts of Trump's immigration and cost-cutting agenda. Judge Robert Conrad, who heads the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, the judiciary's administrative arm, told lawmakers that threats of reprisals and retribution erode the rule of law. "The independence of the judicial branch is jeopardized when judges are threatened with harm or impeachment on the basis of their rulings," he said. "Our constitutional system depends on judges who are sworn to administer justice without respect to persons." Trump and his allies have called judges who have ruled against his administration "crooked," "conflicted" and "rogue," with the White House arguing they are intruding on his authority. Conservative lawmakers in the Republican-led House have even moved to impeach some of the judges. A Reuters investigation this month identified at least 11 federal judges whose families have faced threats of violence or harassment after they ruled against the Trump administration. Pizzas have also been sent anonymously to the homes of several judges and their relatives, which authorities view as a form of intimidation. Testifying before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, St. Eve and Conrad, who were both appointed by Republican presidents, urged lawmakers to increase spending on the judiciary by 9.3% in the 2026 fiscal year to $9.4 billion, even as Republicans in Congress look to slash spending on the government. St. Eve, an appellate judge who chairs the U.S. Judicial Conference, the budget committee for the judiciary's policymaking arm, said the $892 million security increase included in the budget request was warranted to address projects the courts deferred following two consecutive years of flat funding. She said an increased security budget would help pay for court security officers, screening and other security equipment at courthouses, and a program that 77% of active judges are enrolled in that helps them scrub their home addresses and other personal information from the internet. While committee members from both parties said they understood the need to ensure judges' security, Representative Michael Cloud, a Republican from Texas, called it dangerous for Conrad to discuss calls to impeach judges in combination with the need to protect them from harmful threats. He said he was disappointed with Chief U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Roberts' decision in March to publicly rebuke Trump for calling for the impeachment of one judge and said district court judges who restricted Trump's executive authority were going "well beyond" the Constitution. "Impeachment is a constitutional role to hold the judiciary accountable," Cloud said. The U.S. Constitution provides that the grounds for impeachment are treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors. Conrad told Cloud that when individuals disagree with judges' decisions, "our tradition of justice has been to challenge those rulings, to appeal them, and to get the ruling that you think as a litigant you're entitled to."
Reuters
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
US judges warn of threats, ask Congress for more security funding
May 14 (Reuters) - Key members of the U.S. federal judiciary asked lawmakers to increase security funding on Wednesday, as the court system grapples with a rising number of threats against judges who have blocked parts of the Trump administration's agenda. U.S. Circuit Judge Amy St. Eve told a U.S. House of Representatives panel that increasing security spending to $892 million, up 19% from the current fiscal year, would enable the court system to respond to rising threats directed at judges and to ensure their safety and that of their families. Tensions are high between the administration of Republican President Donald Trump and the judiciary, whose members have been targeted by a barrage of threats after blocking parts of Trump's immigration and cost-cutting agenda. Judge Robert Conrad, who heads the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, the judiciary's administrative arm, told lawmakers that threats of reprisals and retribution erode the rule of law. "The independence of the judicial branch is jeopardized when judges are threatened with harm or impeachment on the basis of their rulings," he said. "Our constitutional system depends on judges who are sworn to administer justice without respect to persons." Trump and his allies have called judges who have ruled against his administration "crooked," "conflicted" and "rogue," with the White House arguing they are intruding on his authority. Conservative lawmakers in the Republican-led House have even moved to impeach some of the judges. A Reuters investigation this month identified at least 11 federal judges whose families have faced threats of violence or harassment after they ruled against the Trump administration. Pizzas have also been sent anonymously to the homes of several judges and their relatives, which authorities view as a form of intimidation. Testifying before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, St. Eve and Conrad, who were both appointed by Republican presidents, urged lawmakers to increase spending on the judiciary by 9.3% in the 2026 fiscal year to $9.4 billion, even as Republicans in Congress look to slash spending on the government. St. Eve, an appellate judge who chairs the U.S. Judicial Conference, the budget committee for the judiciary's policymaking arm, said the $892 million security increase included in the budget request was warranted to address projects the courts deferred following two consecutive years of flat funding. She said an increased security budget would help pay for court security officers, screening and other security equipment at courthouses, and a program that 77% of active judges are enrolled in that helps them scrub their home addresses and other personal information from the internet. While committee members from both parties said they understood the need to ensure judges' security, Representative Michael Cloud, a Republican from Texas, called it dangerous for Conrad to discuss calls to impeach judges in combination with the need to protect them from harmful threats. He said he was disappointed with Chief U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Roberts' decision in March to publicly rebuke Trump for calling for the impeachment of one judge and said district court judges who restricted Trump's executive authority were going "well beyond" the Constitution. "Impeachment is a constitutional role to hold the judiciary accountable," Cloud said. The U.S. Constitution provides that the grounds for impeachment are treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors. Conrad told Cloud that when individuals disagree with judges' decisions, "our tradition of justice has been to challenge those rulings, to appeal them, and to get the ruling that you think as a litigant you're entitled to."
Reuters
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
US judiciary launches task force on security, independence after Trump criticism
March 26 (Reuters) - The U.S. federal judiciary on Wednesday launched a task force focused on ensuring the continued security and independence of the courts as Republican President Donald Trump and his allies ramp up their criticism of judges who block his agenda. The Judicial Security and Independence Task Force's launch was detailed in a memo that was reviewed by Reuters that was issued following calls by Republican lawmakers to limit the reach of judges' rulings, reduce the judiciary's funding or impeach judges who have ruled against Trump's administration. Judge Robert Conrad, the director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, did not mention Trump in the memo sent to judges and court officials nationally. He said the task force would be chaired by Baltimore-based U.S. District Judge James Bredar and would "identify, analyze, and propose responses to ensure the continued security and independence of courts and judges." "Through its efforts, it is hoped that the security of individual judges will be enhanced and that judicial independence will be assured," Conrad wrote. Bredar, an appointee of Democratic former President Barack Obama, is himself among the numerous judges hearing the 130-plus lawsuits challenging the Trump administration's actions. Earlier this month in a lawsuit brought by 19 states under Democratic leadership and Washington, D.C., Bredar ordered the administration to reinstate 25,000 workers at 18 agencies who lost their jobs during Trump's purge of the federal workforce. During a Wednesday hearing, Bredar said he could narrow his ruling, citing a "great reluctance to issue a national injunction." Bredar did not respond to a request for comment. The Administrative Office declined to comment. The task force's members include U.S. Circuit Judge Richard Sullivan, who chairs the judiciary's security committee, and U.S. District Judge John Bates in Washington. Bates, an appointee of Republican former President George W. Bush, is among six judges who have issued rulings against the administration. The judges are now facing impeachment resolutions filed by Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Trump himself last week called for impeaching one of them, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg in Washington, who blocked him from using wartime powers to deport Venezuelan migrants. That prompted a rare rebuke from Chief U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Roberts, who said in a statement "impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision," which can be appealed. The events have helped fuel concerns about the security of judges. U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday warned that Congress' power over the judiciary covered its funding and included the authority to eliminate entire district courts. The Republican-led House is expected to soon take up a bill that recently advanced out of the House Judiciary Committee that would prevent district court judges from issuing nationwide injunctions blocking policies.
Forbes
21-03-2025
- Business
- Forbes
The Rise In Business Bankruptcies: Key Trends And Steps For Leaders
Joe Camberato is the CEO and Founder of National Business Capital, a leading fintech marketplace offering streamlined small business loans. From March 2023 to April 2024, business bankruptcy filings rose more than 40%, affecting companies across many different industries. Many large, well-known companies experienced the fallout from high interest rates and inflation. A Cornerstone Research report found that 113 private and public companies with assets over $100 million filed Chapter 7 or Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Plus, 16 'mega bankruptcies'—companies with over $1 billion in assets—occurred in the first half of 2024. This is the highest number of mega bankruptcies in a six-month period since the Covid-19 pandemic. These filings increased across all industries, but the retail trade, services and manufacturing industries got hit the hardest. The services industry in particular accounted for 29% of all bankruptcies, which was a significant increase from its historical average of 17% from 2005 to 2023. Additionally, bankruptcies rose across the finance, insurance and real estate industries. By the end of 2024, total business bankruptcy filings rose 22.1%—from 18,926 in 2023 to 23,107—according to statistics released by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. So, what's causing the increase? Business bankruptcies have grown in recent years, fueled by economic pressure and changes in the market. When a company goes out of business, there's not one factor you can single out as the culprit—it's usually a combination of many different factors. Let's look at four trends that are negatively affecting many companies as well as ways you can protect your business in difficult times. Most companies cite rising costs from inflation and interest rates as the number one reason they filed for bankruptcy. For example, Red Lobster pointed to macroeconomic pressures like inflation and rising wages, while Enviva stated that historically high inflation hurt its profit margins on long-term contracts. Inflation drove up the cost of raw materials, labor and energy, eating into business profit margins. Many companies carry debt with variable interest rates, so the cost of managing this debt also increased as interest rates rose. The combination of inflation and high interest rates put pressure on companies from all sides, making it harder for them to maintain a positive cash flow. These trends pale compared to 2020, when business bankruptcies hit a 10-year high and 630 companies filed for bankruptcy. But in many ways, what we're seeing now is the lingering effects of the pandemic. Over 79% of the mega bankruptcies cited it as a significant contributing factor. Companies like Bed Bath & Beyond and Revlon struggled with supply chain disruptions that increased costs and made their day-to-day operations less efficient. Plus, many businesses dealt with staffing shortages and higher wages, all while trying to navigate lower profit margins. However, perhaps the most significant factor was how the pandemic permanently changed market dynamics. Covid-19 rapidly accelerated changes in consumer behavior, forcing companies to adapt to new markets. Many large companies just couldn't keep up with the speed and scale of these changes. Increased competition within industries also contributed to reduced profits and market share for many companies. Well-established companies are now forced to compete with more agile competitors. For instance, Rite Aid noted it has to compete not only with traditional drugstores and supermarkets but also with online retailers like Amazon. Increased competition forces these companies to lower prices to attract new customers, which also lowers profit margins. When you combine that with rising costs and high interest rates, companies have fewer resources available to deal with these lower margins, increasing the risk of bankruptcy. The Cornerstone Research report also highlights how many companies struggled with unsuccessful strategic initiatives, which led to financial losses. Many companies attempted to pivot during the pandemic by offering new products, but these efforts ultimately fell short. For example, some companies tried to begin offering remote services without understanding the full investment required to make these changes. Many established companies in the retail and manufacturing industries were unable to innovate or pivot quickly enough. Their reluctance to embrace new technologies or change their business models only made them more vulnerable. Federal support, such as the Paycheck Protection Program, provided temporary financial relief. However, it was ultimately a temporary lifeline carrying many companies that would have gone out of business without it. Federal relief programs can help you get through a difficult season in your business, but they aren't a long-term strategy. Start taking proactive steps to improve your financial and operational structures. For instance, you may need to renegotiate your debt terms to improve cash flow. It's also important to address supply chain vulnerabilities and hiring challenges before they turn into major business disruptions. But most importantly, start investing in innovation and digital transformation now. This is about more than just adopting new software—it's about rethinking your company's processes and how you engage with your customers. For example, you may need to diversify your product line or switch up your marketing strategy. Incorporating strategic initiatives and strong financial planning is the best way to navigate a competitive market and protect your business in difficult times. Forbes Finance Council is an invitation-only organization for executives in successful accounting, financial planning and wealth management firms. Do I qualify?
