Chief Justice John Roberts warns of judicial threats — and 'specter of open disregard'

Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts on Tuesday issued a stern warning to reject "dangerous" and "open disregard" for federal court rulings from both sides of the political spectrum.

Roberts warned in his year-end report that judges across the country face threats of violence and intimidation, as well as officials defying their rulings.

"I feel compelled to address four areas of illegitimate activity that, in my view, do threaten the independence of judges on which the rule of law depends: (1) violence, (2) intimidation, (3) disinformation, and (4) threats to defy lawfully entered judgments," wrote Roberts.

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He added that there is "of course no place for violence directed at judges for doing their job." However, in recent years, they've seen a "significant uptick" in threats at all levels of the judiciary — with hostile threats and communications toward judges more than tripling over the last 10 years.

More than 1,000 "serious threats against federal judges" have been investigated, wrote Roberts, several of which required a full-time U.S. Marshals Service security detail. About 50 people faced criminal charges.

Roberts touched on the looming political changes, though he did not directly reference President-elect Donald Trump.

"Every Administration suffers defeats in the court system — sometimes in cases with major ramifications for executive or legislative power or other consequential topics. Nevertheless, for the past several decades, the decisions of the courts, popular or not, have been followed," he said. "Within the past few years, however, elected officials from across the political spectrum have raised the specter of open disregard for federal court rulings. These dangerous suggestions, however sporadic, must be soundly rejected."