Judicial security bill makes moves in state and federal arenas

Two pieces of legislation to protect the privacy and information of judges—one in the state Legislature and the other in the federal—advanced. Daniel's Law, A-1649 (Quijano), passed the Assembly unanimously, and the Senate companion was introduced by Senator Nellie Pou. The bills were renamed to honor Judge Esther Salas's son, who was killed as a result of an attack at her home by a disgruntled attorney. Senator Robert Menendez introduced the Daniel Anderl Judicial Security and Privacy Act to address additional protections for federal judges.

The New Jersey State Bar Association (NJSBA) worked closely with legislators on both bills. "Threats are visited upon judges across the court system, whether they handle family, civil or criminal matters," said NJSBA President Kimberly A. Yonta. "They happen to judges when they are on the bench and when they have retired. These threats are an attack not just on individual stewards of justice, but on the entire system, a cornerstone of our democracy."

Senators Menendez and Cory Booker, and Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill, announced the Daniel Anderl Judicial Security and Privacy Act to extend protections to the federal Judiciary and their families. They made their announcement in front of the Newark Federal Courthouse to outline bipartisan, bicameral legislation that would safeguard the personally identifiable information of federal judges and their immediate families.