In a notable recent development, administrative employees of the federal judiciary have been permitted to engage in political activities outside of work. This decision is a result of a court ruling that determined restrictions implemented during the Trump administration were unconstitutional.
The Administrative Office of the US Courts has stated in a recent memo that most administrative staff can now participate in political activity at the federal, state, and local level, provided it’s done off-duty and they don’t affiliate themselves with the judiciary. This follows a 2022 D.C. Circuit ruling in favor of staff free speech.
However, there are still some restrictions in place. The members of the Administrative Office’s (AO) executive management are still prohibited from political activity.
This decision marks an important shift in policy and is indicative of a growing recognition of employee rights within the US Judiciary.
For more detailed coverage of this recent development, visit Bloomberg Law.