Overview

• Chief Justice John Roberts spoke at the 125th anniversary of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York, reaffirming the critical importance of judicial independence.
• Roberts described the judiciary as essential in checking the excesses of Congress and the executive, a role that requires maintaining independence from political influence.
• In response to calls from President Trump and allies to impeach judges over unfavorable rulings, Roberts reiterated that appellate review, not impeachment, is the proper avenue for resolving disagreements.
• The Trump administration has filed an unprecedented 13 emergency Supreme Court requests in just over 15 weeks, reflecting heightened executive-judiciary tensions.
• Roberts's remarks follow recent warnings from Justices Jackson and Sotomayor about escalating threats and attacks on judges, which they view as undermining democracy and the rule of law.