John Roberts’ year-end report calls for judicial security but avoids abortion debate

Threats against federal judges surged as the conservative supreme court has been accused of ignoring public opinion

Supreme court chief justice John Roberts has focused a year-end judiciary report on the need for stepped up security for federal judges, amid a surge in threats and as the United States is embroiled in a bitter debate over abortion.

But Roberts chose to skirt around all the controversy engulfing the court in 2022, especially the chapter as its conservative super-majority struck down federal abortion rights afforded by the court's landmark 1973 decision in Roe v Wade, in a decision that was scandalously leaked in the spring and then confirmed in June.