Retired Judges Advocate for Judicial Independence at 250Th Anniversary

WHO:

ABC News - A group of retired federal and state judges, including former Ohio Supreme Court Justice Michael Donnelly and former U.S. District Court Judge Victoria Roberts, are involved in the tour.

AP News - Maureen O'Connor, a former chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court, is participating in the tour.

ABC News - The tour includes roughly 30 judges, two former federal judges, and a current federal judge, representing both political parties.

AP News - Former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett and former Ohio attorneys general are also involved in the event.

WHAT:

ABC News - The judges are on a tour to defend judicial independence and bolster the rule of law, marking the nation's 250th anniversary.

AP News - The judges have issued a warning that the rule of law in America is in grave danger.

ABC News - The U.S. Marshals Service reported 564 threats against federal judges in the fiscal year ending in September, an increase from 509 the previous year.

ABC News - The tour is dubbed “Justice in Motion” and aims to educate the public about the judiciary.

WHERE:

ABC News - The tour includes stops in Ohio and Pennsylvania, with a final stop at a library in Grosse Pointe, Michigan.

AP News - The tour started in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and included stops in Washington, Pennsylvania, Columbus, Ohio, Wooster, Ohio, and Cleveland, Ohio.

WHEN:

ABC News - The tour started on a Tuesday and will conclude on a Friday, with the last stop in Michigan.

WHY:

ABC News - The judges aim to address the decline in Americans' confidence in the court system and democracy, which has been exacerbated by polarization and attacks on the judicial system by Trump.

AP News - The tour was inspired by a similar campaign in Poland in 2021, aimed at promoting the rule of law after the governing party took control of key judicial institutions.

HOW:

ABC News - The judges are engaging with the public in courthouses and public squares, mingling with citizens, and delivering messages about the importance of judicial independence.

(UPDATED July 10, 2026 08:09 UTC)

A group of around 30 judges, including notable figures like former Ohio Supreme Court Justice Michael Donnelly and former U.S. District Court Judge Victoria Roberts, is currently on a tour called “Justice in Motion” to defend judicial independence and highlight the rule of law as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary. The tour, which began in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and will conclude at a library in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, aims to address the alarming decline in public confidence in the court system, a situation worsened by polarization and attacks on the judiciary by Trump. Engaging directly with citizens in courthouses and public squares, the judges are delivering important messages about the significance of maintaining a strong and independent judicial system.