Protecting the Bench: Confronting Threats to the Judiciary
On Wednesday, April 8, 2026, the Federal Bar Association Maryland Chapter hosts Protecting the Bench: Confronting Threats to the Judiciary. This event is co-hosted by the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, along with its respective chapters of The Federalist Society and the American Constitution Society.
In recent years, there has been a dramatic and deeply troubling increase in the frequency and severity of threats directed at state and federal judges. Beyond threatening rhetoric, there have been actual physical attacks against judges and their family members. Particularly alarming is the growing role of public officials and public figures in amplifying these threats through social media, deliberately inciting harassment campaigns that place judges and their families in danger. These escalating attacks strike at the heart of judicial independence, the separation of powers, and the rule of law itself. This timely and important panel discussion centers around an urgent issue, and what lawyers and members of the public can do to respond.
The discussion runs from 4:30–6:00 PM and will be moderated by Retired U.S. District Judge Paul Grimm. Additionally, it features a distinguished panel, including Chief Justice Matthew Fader (Supreme Court of Maryland), Retired U.S. District Judge Jeremy Fogel (Director, Berkeley Judicial Institute and member of the Article III Coalition), Retired U.S. District Judge Kimberly Mueller (Director, Bolch Judicial Institute at Duke Law School), and Gregg Nunziata (Executive Director, Society for the Rule of Law). Immediately after the program, attendees are invited to continue the conversation at a reception from 6:00–7:00 PM.
The program takes place at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, 500 W. Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201. Ticket sales close April 7, 2026. A photo ID is required for entry, and capacity is limited to 100 attendees.
Meet Our Speakers
Hon. Matthew J. Fader
Hon. Matthew J. Fader
Chief Justice, Supreme Court of Maryland
Matthew J. Fader has been Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Maryland since April 15, 2022. He previously served as Chief Judge of the Court of Special Appeals (2018–2022) and as a Judge at Large (2017–2018). In his judicial leadership roles, he chairs the Maryland Judicial Conference, the Hall of Records Commission, and several judicial council committees focused on court safety and special projects.
Before the bench, Fader was a Trial Attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Division (1999–2002), an associate and equity partner at K&L Gates LLP (2002–2010), and Chief of Litigation in Maryland's Office of the Attorney General (2010–2017).
Born in Towson, Maryland (1973), he holds a B.A. from the University of Virginia (1995) and a J.D. from Yale Law School (1998). He is a member of the Maryland and Howard County Bar Associations and a recipient of the Daily Record's Influential Marylander and Power 100 honors.
Hon. Jeremy Fogel
Hon. Jeremy Fogel
U.S. District Judge (Ret.)
Director, Berkeley Judicial Institute
Member, Article III Coalition
Jeremy Fogel is the Executive Director of the Berkeley Judicial Institute at Berkeley Law School, which works to strengthen ties between judges and academics while promoting an ethical and independent judiciary. He previously served as Director of the Federal Judicial Center (2011–2018), U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of California (1998–2011), and as a California state court judge for 17 years. Earlier in his career, he founded the Mental Health Advocacy Project, championing access to justice for people with chronic mental health conditions.
Judge Fogel has taught judicial education programs nationally and internationally, covering ethics, case management, and intellectual property in roughly twenty countries. He holds a B.A. from Stanford University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School, and has received honors including the Samuel E. Gates Litigation Award from the American College of Trial Lawyers and the President's Award from the California Judges Association.
Hon. Kimberly Mueller
Hon. Kimberly Mueller
U.S. District Judge (Ret.)
Director, Bolch Judicial Institute at Duke Law School
Kimberly J. Mueller is a retired American jurist and the first woman to serve as a district judge in the Eastern District of California. Born in Newton, Kansas, she earned a B.A. from Pomona College and a J.D. from Stanford Law School. Before her legal career, Mueller served on the Sacramento City Council from 1987 to 1992, championing campaign finance reform.
After practicing law at Orrick, Herrington and Sutcliffe and in private practice, she was appointed U.S. Magistrate Judge in 2003. President Barack Obama nominated her to the federal bench in 2010, and she served as Chief Judge from 2020 to 2024. Her notable rulings addressed gun regulations, prison reform, and First Amendment issues. She assumed senior status in September 2024 and retired in January 2026, subsequently joining Duke Law School as a professor and director of the Bolch Judicial Institute.
Gregg Nunziata
Gregg Nunziata
Executive Director, Society for the Rule of Law
Gregg Nunziata is an attorney, public policy professional, and veteran of the conservative legal movement. He served as Chief Nominations Counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee, playing a key strategic role in the confirmation proceedings for scores of federal judges and executive branch appointees.
He also served as policy counsel to the Senate Republican Policy Committee, and later as general counsel and domestic policy adviser to Sen. Marco Rubio. Earlier in his career, Gregg served in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and worked as a litigator in an international law firm.
Hon. Paul Grimm (Moderator)
Hon. Paul Grimm
U.S. District Judge (Ret.)
Panel Moderator
Judge Paul W. Grimm was appointed as a United States District Judge for the District of Maryland on December 10, 2012, having previously served as Magistrate Judge since 1997 and Chief Magistrate Judge from 2006 to 2012. In 2009, he was appointed by the Chief Justice to the Advisory Committee for the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Judge Grimm is an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland and University of Baltimore Schools of Law, teaching evidence and electronic discovery.
Before joining the bench, he practiced commercial litigation in Baltimore for thirteen years and served as an Assistant Attorney General, Assistant State's Attorney, and Captain in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's Corps, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2001. He holds degrees from UC Davis, the University of New Mexico School of Law, and Duke Law School. Judge Grimm retired from the bench on December 30, 2022.
Register for Protecting the Bench
Sign up for Protecting the Bench: Confronting Threats to the Judiciary on Wednesday, April 8, 2026 at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. While the event is complimentary, the cost covers the reception, marketing, and administrative fees.
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