TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Julia Wilburn on Jan 14, 2026

A bipartisan funding deal would provide $9.2 billion for the federal judiciary in Fiscal Year 2026, boosting spending on court security and federal public defenders despite falling short of the judiciary’s overall request. Reuters reports that the bill fully funds requested increases for security, including $892 million for courthouse protection — a 19% increase — as judges face rising threats nationwide. It also provides $1.766 billion for defender services, a 22% increase aimed at easing a funding crisis that previously left thousands of court-appointed attorneys unpaid. Lawmakers say the funding is essential to address security risks, staffing shortages and constitutional obligations to provide legal counsel. The federal judiciary has been working to increase security for its personnel. In March 2025, it launched the Judicial Security and Independence Task Force and continues to operate the Vulnerability Management Program to protect judges’ personal information, among other measures.