Court Security Committee
AJA's Court Security Committee disseminates updates, supports training opportunities, and partners in legislative efforts to improve court security.
Important pending legislation to address court security
The AJA Court Security Committee, led by Judge Rodney Adams, is engaged in discussions with the National Center for State Courts to provide input in support of the Countering Threats and Attacks on Judges Act. Magistrate Michael Moran is leading the effort on behalf of the AJA's Court Security Committee.
The pending legislation can be found here.
Scholarships available for WI judicial security workshop
The AJA, in coordination with the National Criminal Justice Training Center of Fox Valley Technical College, has a limited number of scholarships available to attend an in-person judicial security workshop to be held March 24 - 26, 2026 in Appleton, WI.
Conference details are here. If you are interested, contact Chair of the Court Security Committee Judge Rodney Adams.
Funding increased for judicial security, indigent defense
The U.S. federal judiciary is set to receive a boost in spending for court security and federal public defenders this fiscal year under a funding deal struck by leaders of the appropriations process in the U.S. Congress. A bipartisan proposal released by the appropriations committees in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate would provide $9.2 billion in funding for the federal judiciary for the 2026 fiscal year, which began on October 1.
That funding is below the $9.4 billion the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts had sought. But the bill calls for fully funding the judiciary's request for additional money to bolster security and pay for lawyers who represent indigent defendants in court. The bill provides $892 million for protection services and equipment to provide security at courthouses nationwide, a 19 percent increase over the prior fiscal year. The bill also provides what Democratic lawmakers described as a "much-needed" 22 percent increase in funding for federal public defenders and private attorneys who serve on court-managed panels that provide counsel to defendants when public defenders are not available. Read more in Roll Call.