New York, NY, Tuesday, April 11, 2023 – Protecting our judges and increasing judicial security is a Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York (“WBASNY”) legislative priority. WBASNY strongly supports actions taken to ensure the increased safety and security of judges, court officials and their families in the State of New York, including the prohibition of the disclosure and publication of home addresses or unpublished home telephone numbers. Criminal threats of violence, intimidation, harassment and inappropriate communications against judges and court officials have increased at an alarming rate, which requires critical legislation to strengthen security for these vital public officials. Judges must be able to make decisions without fear of retaliation or retribution. The safety of the judiciary, court personnel and their families is crucial to an independent judiciary, the rule of law and the protection of our democracy. WBASNY supports any enhanced measures to ensure the protection of our judges, court personnel, and their families.

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The Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York (WBASNY) is the professional membership organization of choice for nearly 4,000 attorneys throughout New York State and the largest statewide women’s bar association in the country. For more than four decades, WBASNY has been a singularly important resource for women lawyers, providing professional networking, continuing legal education programming, leadership training, and advocacy for the rights of women, children, and families. Through involvement with WBASNY’s 20 regional chapters and its 40-plus substantive law committees, WBASNY’s members collaborate with one another on a variety of issues and perform public and community service, in furtherance of its mission to promote the advancement of the status of women in society and women in the legal profession; to promote the fair and equal administration of justice; and to act as a unified voice for its members with respect to issues of statewide, national and international significance to women generally and women attorneys in particular. WBASNY holds United Nations NGO status with the U.N.’s Department of Public Information, and Special Consultative status in association with the U.N. Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). WBASNY is also a founding member of the National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations.