One of the principles our country was founded on was a fair and impartial justice system committed to the rule of law. A fair, independent, and impartial judiciary is sacrosanct to our legal system and our country. Fair and impartial justice determined by independent judges and by juries made of citizens of our community is the heart of our country’s adherence to the rule of law. Judges must be free to exercise their independent judgment without concern for the popularity of their decisions. When threats of violence are made against any judge who has made a decision that is unpopular, it is a threat against our system of justice and our Constitution.
The San Francisco Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates condemns the recent death threats against San Francisco Superior Court Judge Kay Tsenin. According to recent news reports, Judge Tsenin did not come to the courthouse where she works out of safety concerns in response to her sentencing of a defendant who stabbed an elderly woman. This is outrageous. There is no evidence her sentence of the defendant was outside the bounds of the law. Furthermore, any statements by public officials who help foster an atmosphere that encourages threats undermine our great system of justice.
Our judges must be allowed to do their jobs without being concerned for their safety. Threats like these undermine the Constitutional basis of our democracy. Personal denigration of judges, regardless of one’s opinion about the merits of any issue, diminishes confidence in the rule of law and must be condemned in the strongest terms.
The San Francisco Chapter of ABOTA stands by our judges and the rule of law. Please join us in condemning the threats against Judge Tsenin.
American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)
The American Board of Trial Advocates is an organization of approximately 7,300 trial lawyers from the civil bar, both plaintiff and defense, and is dedicated to promoting the 7th Amendment to the Constitution and promoting the independence of the judiciary.