Former and current federal judiciary employees described harassment they experienced while working in federal courts and public defenders' offices in an amicus brief filed Thursday.

The brief was filed by attorneys with Keker, Van Nest & Peters in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in the case of "Jane Roe," who is alleging harassment while working in a federal public defender's office. Roe's lawsuit challenges the federal judiciary's procedures for reporting and handling workplace misconduct; federal public defenders fall under the scope of the federal judiciary.