Chief Justice Roberts Emphasizes Judicial Independence in Uncommon Public Address

In a rare public address on Wednesday evening, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. strongly defended the autonomy of the judiciary and condemned attempts to use impeachment as a means of expressing disagreement with judicial rulings.

Speaking to an audience of approximately 600 lawyers and judges in his hometown of Buffalo, Roberts stated, “Impeachment is not how you register disagreement with a decision.”

These remarks marked his first public commentary since releasing an unusual written statement in March, which responded to threats by political figures to impeach federal judges who ruled against certain administration policies.

Although Roberts did not explicitly reference any political figures during his comments, his response to a direct question on the topic at an event commemorating the 125th anniversary of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York was widely noted for its significance.

His intervention is especially remarkable given that Supreme Court justices typically refrain from publicly engaging in political discourse. It followed closely on the heels of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s recent remarks condemning persistent attacks on the judiciary during a judicial conference in Puerto Rico.

Justice Jackson highlighted what she described as “relentless attacks” and a hostile climate toward judges, warning that such pressures threaten the foundations of the Constitution and the rule of law.