Spike in Judicial Misconduct Complaints Raises Questions About Accountability and Transparency

Legal Accountability Project Founder and President Aliza Shatzman spoke with The National Law Journal about a sharp rise in judicial misconduct complaints. According to new data from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, more than 1,850 complaints were filed against federal judges last year — a nearly 23% increase.

“What we should read into the 2025 judicial complaint numbers is that they are very low, and that's suspicious, because this is not a particularly safe work environment," Shatzman told National Law Journal. "This is a work environment where employees lack basic workplace protections. They're exempt from Title VII and all federal anti-discrimination laws.” Just 2 complaints were filed by clerks against judges - Griggsby (4th Cir) and Tanabe (8th Cir - withdrawn under pressure from judiciary officials). This doesn't represent the true scope of judicial misconduct.