Facilities and Security – Annual Report 2024

Judicial Security

The Judiciary’s Vulnerability Management Program for judges and their families was fully implemented in 2024. The program grew out of concern about increasing threats against federal judges in recent years. 

The proliferation of judges’ personally identifiable information (PII) on the internet has been a major concern for the Judiciary in the wake of several attacks on judges in recent years. In July 2020, a former litigant killed Daniel Anderl, the son of New Jersey District Judge Esther Salas at the family’s home. Judge Salas’s husband was seriously wounded. The gunman acquired the judge’s address, photos of her home, and her vehicle information on the internet. Two years later, Congress passed the Daniel Anderl Judicial Security Act, which led to the establishment of the Vulnerability Management Program in the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AO).

Since the program began in 2022, the AO has assisted judges and qualifying family members in removing online PII that could pose a threat. Security officers monitor risks to judges and their immediate family members and assist in removing or redacting the publication of PII. They also create training on personal data privacy measures and coordinate risk-related information found during monitoring with relevant agencies, such as the U.S. Marshals Service, the Federal Protective Service, and the General Services Administration (GSA), which owns the nation’s federal courthouses.

In 2024, the program provided services to 1,731 judges, 114 retired judges, and 235 family members. Through interagency information and intelligence sharing, the program coordinated with other federal, state, and local government agencies on more than 1,090 potential or actual incidents that either disrupted Judiciary operations or caused heightened facility or personal security concerns.

Security officers in the AO’s Judiciary Security Operations Branch assist judges, their families, and court staff with physical security and emergency preparedness. The officers coordinate closely with the U.S. Marshals Service, the Federal Protective Service, and the GSA to address deficiencies with local court security measures. They also consult with courts and local law enforcement agencies about protections that improve security during high-profile trials and mass gatherings at courthouses.

Courthouse Security

Enhancing security for judges, court staff, and the public at courthouses was a major focus for the Judiciary in 2024 after Congress allocated $127.5 million for court-based security measures. 

Courthouse security issues took on heightened importance following outbreaks of civil unrest around the country. More than 50 courthouses across the country were damaged, and two security employees were shot near courthouses, one fatally. The AO established an interagency group with representatives from the U.S. Marshals Service, the Federal Protective Service, and the GSA to begin work on an initiative to harden and protect courthouses. 

As of late 2024, the AO had committed nearly $60.5 million to the GSA to design and construct security countermeasures to prevent hostile crowds from forcibly entering doors and windows at court facilities. Sixty-three facilities had been funded for design services, seven of which were in the construction phase for security enhancements. One project was completed. These security measures are done in a variety of ways, including window replacements, reinforced windows, and roll-down doors. Each building is evaluated for needed countermeasures, taking into account historical and life safety concerns.

In addition, $5 million was transferred to the Federal Protective Service for temporary fencing that can be used on the perimeter of court facilities when needed for high-profile trials or periods of civil unrest. There were two successful deployments of temporary fencing to protect the judicial process during the Republican and Democratic national conventions in 2024.

The AO is managing and supporting multiple building projects that are part of a $2 billion commitment by Congress since fiscal year 2016 to fund courthouse construction around the country.

In recent years, the GSA purchased a courthouse in Rutland, VT; finished courthouse annexes in Charlotte, NC, Savannah, GA, and Toledo, OH; and completed new courthouses in Huntsville, AL, Nashville, TN, Greenville, SC, San Antonio, TX, Anniston, AL, and Harrisburg, PA. The Charlotte (Jonas), NC, courthouse was modernized.

Under construction in 2024 were new courthouses in Des Moines, IA, Greenville, MS, and Fort Lauderdale, FL. The modernization of the Savannah (Tomochichi), GA courthouse was also underway. The Toledo (Ashley), OH courthouse modernization was in the design phase as was the San Juan, PR, annex project, which is prioritized as a judicial space emergency due to seismic risks. New courthouses for Hartford, CT, and Chattanooga, TN, were in the planning phase. Future courthouse projects include Bowling Green, KY, and Anchorage, AK.

The federal courthouse construction program is administered jointly by the Judiciary and the GSA. The Judiciary establishes priorities for courthouse construction projects and sets the housing requirements for each project to ensure that completed facilities meet the needs of the courts. The GSA secures the funding for construction, acquires the building sites, and completes design and construction work on the facilities. The Judiciary annually identifies potential locations for new courthouses, annexes, and major renovation of courthouses that have the most urgent space needs.

The GSA received approximately $2 billion from Congress from fiscal years 2016 to 2024 for courthouse projects that the Judiciary identified as priorities. In the most recent appropriations bill, for fiscal year 2024, the GSA received an additional $49.2 million for the courthouse projects in San Juan, PR and Chattanooga, TN.

Emergency Preparedness

The AO provides emergency management awareness and support to the Judiciary through policy guidance, resources, training, communications, and incident support initiatives. The AO’s Judiciary Emergency Response Team was activated for several hurricanes in 2024. The team focused its efforts on coordinating support to impacted courts’ staff, operations, and facilities.  The support activities included streamlined and expanded procurement authorities during the emergency periods.

Throughout the year, the AO also assisted in development and validation of courts’ Continuity of Operations Plans (COOP) and Occupant Emergency Plans. It provided training at four court conferences and conducted seven COOP workshops. The AO also updated a program providing defibrillators and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training at courthouses.